Twisted Fate
by Penguin Pop
Summary: The Bladebreakers are stranded with a dangerous psychotic in control. They are tested through a series of challenges, threatening both their friendship and their lives... :TyHilKai: COMPLETE.
1. Ice

This is my first fic ever ^-^ so PLEASE REVIEW!!! Thanks so much! I don't own beyblade. ~ Penguin Pop  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter One: Ice  
  
"TYSON!!! Get up!!" Tyson was rudely awakened by a shrill voice. He slowly half-opened his eyes, to see Hilary yelling at him. His eyes jolted open as a loud *SMACK* was made by her hand hitting the floor on which he slept. "TYSON!"  
  
"Yeah, I'm up already!" He moaned as he scrambled out of his blanket. "What now?"  
  
"Remember how Mr. Dickenson arranged for us to participate in the World tournament?" Max cut in, with a cheery grin. "Well today's the day! We're supposed to have our stuff ready and be at the airport in half an hour!"  
  
Tyson, now fully awake, sprang out of his covers to find the rest of his team eating breakfast. He quickly got dressed, grabbed some breakfast and packed up.  
  
"Hey little dudes and dudette! What's chillin'? It's time for you homies to split, dig?" Tyson's grandpa bade farewell as the Bladebreakers made their way to the bus, taking them to the airport.  
  
"Hey, Mr. Dickenson! Great to see you again!" Rei greeted the stout man with his tiny spectacles.  
  
"You too, Rei. I'm so glad you all could make it. As you know, this next tournament takes place in America, so you will be taking a private jet. This tournament has some of the best beyblading teams participating in it. It should be quite a challenge!"  
  
"No way, Mr. D." Tyson said, confidently. "We're the world champions! There's no way we could be defeated."  
  
"Tyson! You have to take this seriously!" Cried Kenny, almost pulling his hair out. "Yes, you are the world champ, but that doesn't matter! You aren't invincible! You're --"  
  
"Hey, chief. Calm down," Rei cut in.  
  
"Yeah," Max agreed. "Tyson, you gotta be a little more serious... but Kenny, you could be a little more relaxed."  
  
"What?" Kenny said, annoyed. "How can I be more relaxed when HE acts like he-"  
  
"Well I should be going now, and so should you." Mr. Dickenson said. "Here are your tickets. Have a good trip!"  
  
"Thanks, Mr. Dickenson," Hilary replied politely, slightly bowing her head. "Bye!"  
  
The Bladebreakers had boarded a private jet, and had been on the plane for an hour already. Max sat with Tyson, Rei with Kai and Hilary with Kenny.  
  
(Max's POV)  
  
I'm so glad we joined up again. I don't know where I would be without them. Tyson is my best friend ever. Enough in common to be friends, but different enough not to clash head on. He's totally confident and ready for action.  
  
Rei is a great friend. Caring, understanding and always ready to help others. Confident, but definitely thinks before acting. He's very well balanced.  
  
Kai is really mysterious. He's really opened up, though over the last year. I think he finally is starting to respect us. He keeps his distance, but it is always Kai who saves us when we are in trouble. I mean, he's probably saved all of our lives more than once. I think he finally understands we just want to be his friends.  
  
Kenny is a big help. Panicky and nervous, he always finds the flaw in our plans. It's a good thing though, he always knows what's wrong, and can fix it.  
  
Hilary is headstrong and brave; she is never afraid to voice her opinion. Whenever the Bladebreakers are about to break up, she's always there to help us.  
  
(Tyson's POV)  
  
Who woulda thought we woulda made it this far! The Bladebreakers are still together. Max is my best friend... and Kenny is my other best friend. They're both the best friends a guy could have.  
  
I don't understand why Kai still doesn't talk to us! He still likes to be alone.... Oh well. He's still my friend, even if he won't admit it.  
  
Hilary. Hilary just won't leave us alone. I'm... glad. Even though I will never admit it, she helps us out, and I like having her around...  
  
(Kenny's POV)  
  
Wow, I can't wait to get to the tournament. The team is back! The team. my friends. Although I'm closer to Tyson and Hilary than the others, we're still friends.  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
Man, I'm so happy to be here. With my team, the Bladebreakers... my friends. Okay, so I've got lots of friends, but they've grown really close to me. Tyson is really fun to be with, and Max and I get along really well.  
  
I try to understand all that Kai has been through. He's really opened up to us lately, and finally accepts us as friends.  
  
Hilary is really great. She has qualities that all of the Bladebreakers have. Tyson's headstrong attitude, Kenny's smart and logical ways, Max's cheerfulness, my friendliness and Kai's help-out-when-needed way. I'm glad she started hanging out with us!  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
I didn't know why I decided to rejoin the Bladebreakers. But now I realise I did because they're my... friends. Annoying, sometimes, and often don't think before acting, but they're my friends. Rei understands me better than the rest of them; I respect him for it.  
  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
I don't know why I started hanging out with the Bladebreakers. I sometimes feel I shouldn't be here. But, I would have to say, they're my best friends, they're not like all those girls at school that just wanted to be popular. I like Tyson, but I don't know if he really appreciates having me around. He sure doesn't show it.  
  
Rei, Kenny and Max are really supportive and they are really happy to have me around. They are so nice to me, and appreciate me. Kai, well I don't know what to think. He doesn't show that he appreciates me, but doesn't show otherwise. But you never know with him.  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
Hours passed, and the Bladebreakers had fallen asleep. However, it was no coincidence.  
  
After the incredibly long ride, Kai awoke to a throbbing headache. He was lying in the snow, and was pretty sore all over. He sat up, and looked around. His vision was blurred, but after blinking a few times, he saw the rest of his team on the ground, still unconscious.  
  
Kai subconsciously checked his pocket to make sure is Dranzer was still there. 'Good,' he thought, as his fingers ran over the cool, smooth metal, 'but what happened?'  
  
Kai heard a slight moan, and saw Rei had shifted. Rei slowly opened his eyes, and saw Kai. "Hey Kai?"  
  
"Hn," was his response.  
  
"What happened?" Rei asked.  
  
"I don't know. I think we were knocked out with sleeping gas on the jet, then were transported here."  
  
"Well. pretty badly 'transported' if you ask me," Ray remarked, rubbing his arm.  
  
Pretty soon, all the Bladebreakers were awake. They were complaining of various injuries. "Look," Kai's cold, smooth voice interrupted the moans and whining. "We're in the snow, and there are no footprints, only the imprints caused by our bodies hitting the snow. From the looks of it, we were dropped here, by the plane."  
  
"So. you're saying we were abandoned in the freezing cold?" Hilary asked, hoping it wasn't true.  
  
"But didn't Mr. Dickenson give us those tickets? Wasn't that a BBA jet?" Tyson questioned.  
  
"Yeah, but we were asleep most of the time. Knocked out by sleeping gas, probably," Rei put in.  
  
"Well don't just sit there! Let's try and find a way back!" Hilary said, abruptly.  
  
"Good idea," Kenny said, standing up at once.  
  
The Bladebreakers made their way through the thick snow and freezing winds. They were shivering and near frozen, as they were dressed in their usual attire. Even Kai looked slightly pale, and kept his arms crossed.  
  
As they were walking, they came across a frozen river. It seemed to go as far as the eye could see. They were trapped. "We have to cross it," Kai decided, as he led them slowly across. They were steadily walking across it when they heard a deadly crack. They froze, still as they could be, muscles tensed. All of a sudden, they saw Kai fall through the ice.  
  
"Kai!" They all cried, wide-eyed in terror. They saw him fighting the freezing cold, struggling for air, and within seconds his head fell beneath the icy water.  
  
Kai looked around. He felt weak, but knew something was missing. He saw out of the corner of his eye Dranzer, drifting towards the bottom of the lake. He began to swim over to where his blade was sinking, and reached out in an attempt to grab the one thing that mattered to him in life.  
  
Kai felt the comforting metal slip past his fingers, down into the darkness. He silently cried "NO!" as he saw it fall. He quickly tried to grab it again, this time succeeding, and only then did he realise he was completely out of breath.  
  
"I'm going in to save him," Tyson said, heading towards the water.  
  
"No, Tyson. You'll never reach him in time. If you stay in that water for a few seconds, you'll be so cold you will start to lose consciousness." Rei stated. He was devastated, but hadn't lost his sense of judgement.  
  
"I agree, Tyson, there's no way you-" Kenny stuttered, about to break down.  
  
"We don't have any rope or anything." Max started looking around for anything that could be of use. There was nothing around them but snow.  
  
'Come on, Kai, you can make it' Hilary stared at the ice beneath which Kai had disappeared. 'We're counting on you.'  
  
Kai could see the light. The glaring light reflected above the ice, he was so close, yet so far. He could barely keep conscious, and was completely out of air. He had almost made it. He struggled to keep trying to swim. With the last of his energy, he reached out with one arm to the source of light. Everything went black.  
  
"KAI!!!" Rei cried out. He saw the gloved arm reach out, just centimetres below the surface. It was starting to fall deeper and deeper, and Rei saw Kai was slipping back beneath the icy waters. Rei submerged his arm into the freezing water, almost crying out at how cold the water was, in an attempt to reach Kai. He grabbed, and just barely held onto the freezing cold hand.  
  
Rei was just holding on, as Tyson came over to help. They both helped pull Kai out of the freezing water. They lay him in the snow, and sighed with relief as Kai took in a sharp, painful breath.  
  
Kai forced himself to breathe. In. out. it was a painful task. It hurt, and after another breath in he choked, and started coughing violently. He was numb from the cold. He forced his eyelids open, and saw his team staring at him, their eyes full of concern. He quickly sat up, trying to ignore the pain. He was independent, and didn't need anyone, and if he did he would never show it.  
  
As concerned voices swarmed him, Kai shrugged them off, and stood up, as painful as it was. "I'm fine," he said, though the rest of the Bladebreakers didn't believe him for a second, but he refused to rest and they knew they couldn't make him.  
  
The Bladebreakers continued their journey through the snow. Kai was falling behind and soon collapsed.  
  
"Kai!" Hilary exclaimed, as she glanced back at his unconscious form. "We're setting up camp right now!"  
  
"Yeah, the only thing is we don't have any of our stuff!" Tyson retorted. "It was all on that jet!"  
  
"Well that doesn't matter. We'll just have to settle with what we've got." Hilary looked around; there was just a vast blanket of snow as far as they could see.  
  
"Oh, yeah I bet we'll be okay with NOTHING!" Tyson said, his temper starting to flare up.  
  
"There's bound to be something!" Hilary and Tyson had quickly started a quarrel, face to face shouting.  
  
"Hey guys, you helping or not?" Rei interrupted the argument, and motioned towards where Max, Kenny and himself were building a snow shelter, to block the bone-chilling winds.  
  
Pretty soon, they had built a strong, sturdy fort, and actually had enjoyed themselves making the fort. It was as tall as them, sturdy enough to block out all the wind, and had enough room in it for all 6 of them. Proud of themselves, the Bladebreakers stood and stared at their creation, realising what teamwork and effort can do.  
  
They dragged Kai inside the fort, and lay him on the snow. It was surprisingly warm, as it was a great insulator. Hilary put her hand to his pale forehead.  
  
"He's definitely got a fever," she said quietly. Kai's face looked as if he was fighting something. His eyes were closed tight, and his muscles tensed.  
  
The Bladebreakers sat in their shelter, shivering from the cold. Kenny sat alone in one corner, trying to fix Dizzi, but not able to. His laptop had been horribly damaged from the fall from the plane. He soon dropped off into a deep sleep.  
  
Rei was sitting with his back against the side of the fortress. He was watching Kai, making sure he was okay. He was deep in thought, reflecting the events of the day. He glanced up to the clear, almost black sky, staring at the stars.  
  
Tyson lay down, and saw Max and Hilary fast asleep. Hilary was shivering from the cold, and Tyson felt as if he should do something, but didn't know what. He sighed, and got up from where he lay, knowing he wouldn't sleep. He sat down where Rei was, and looked at Kai's freezing body.  
  
"Hey, Rei?" Rei's eyes immediately darted towards Tyson, and then saw Kai, shaking and shivering in his sleep. He could sense Kai's pain, but it wasn't just from the cold.  
  
Rei could sense Kai was suffering inside, as well. "It's the fever," he told Tyson. 'Nightmares.'  
  
Kai was watching himself at 5 years old. "Grandfather, please don't.." he was silenced as another kick was aimed at his small body. He cried out as he was punched. The beating never stopped. The only way to make it stop was to hide his fear and pain. That was what they were trained to do, never show weakness. Trained in the Abbey for his whole life, he never knew his parents, never feeling love. Instead of love he got abuse, from his grandfather and from Boris. The five year old was kicked again, this time knocking him unconscious.  
  
Kai now saw himself, 7 years old. He had crept out to find Black Dranzer. As he took the blade and launched it. He could only stare in horror as the building collapsed around him, hurting, and killing. out of control. He sat there not knowing what to do, and was left to watch everything he knew be destroyed. because of him.  
  
Kai was watching himself just a year ago. He had betrayed his team, his friends, for Black Dranzer. as his Grandfather had wished. He stood there, watching, as he took their bit-beasts, not able to overcome the great power of Black Dranzer. And still, they had forgiven him. He hadn't deserved it.  
  
A few months ago. Wyatt had been persistent. Never losing his faith, and was happy just to be with Kai. But Kai had rejected him. He was rude to him, told him to get lost. Wyatt was just trying to impress him, to earn his friendship, or at least acceptance. His pupils were dilated, the power overwhelming. He couldn't control it. it was controlling him. He lay in Kai's arms, weak and unaware of what was happening. It was all Kai's fault, this never would have happened if it weren't for him. It was his fault, it was because of him.  
  
He saw himself, just at the World Championships. His bit-beast Dranzer was losing, and he saw his blade stop spinning. He then felt as Dranzer was taken from him, his soul being torn from him. He didn't deserve Dranzer. He was unworthy.  
  
Kai was lost in a never-ending nightmare. his life was replaying over and over again. He was lost in his past of torture and hatred. He wished it would stop. He was now crying inside, sorry for everything that had happened, why wouldn't his past leave him alone?  
  
He hated himself, and wished he didn't exist. 'I'm sorry for everything I've done! Please. stop.' but the moments of torment didn't cease.  
  
"Kai! Wake up!" Tyson? It couldn't be. he heard the familiar voice enter his mind, as he stared at his past. 'Why would they want me? I am worthless.'  
  
"Tyson, don't worry. Kai will be okay," Rei's comforting voice was heard through the flashbacks. "He's probably fine."  
  
"Fine?" Tyson started to speak loudly. His voice rang through the pictures in Kai's mind. "Look at him. He looks like he's in pain. We've gotta wake him up!"  
  
Kai was confused. why did they want him to get up? It was his entire fault; everything in his life was a horrible mistake. "Tyson, as much as we want to help our friend out, we couldn't." Rei was confusing Kai even more. Friend? No, Kai was a traitor. He had betrayed them. Rei's voice continued, "He has a fever, and is experiencing nightmares. We can't wake him."  
  
Kai heard Tyson whisper "don't give up, buddy. We're here for you." Suddenly, Kai realised that life was worth living. He wanted to get up, and the memories would stop haunting him. He wished he were back with his team-- his friends.  
  
And at that moment, Kai awoke.  
  
Review please! I really appreciate it! Thanks! ^-^  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	2. Awake

Thanks for the reviews! ^-^ You made my day!  
  
I don't own Beyblade.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 2: Awake  
  
Kai slowly opened his eyes. He blinked, adjusting to the light, although the only light was from the bright stars in the clear sky. It was welcoming, from his dark nightmares.  
  
"Kai!" Rei exclaimed. Tyson abruptly opened his eyes; he had nearly fallen asleep. He saw Kai's greyish eyes were open.  
  
"Hey! Buddy! You're awake!" Kai heard Tyson say. Yes, that loud, obnoxious voice was definitely Tyson.  
  
Kai just glanced at Tyson, nodded, and turned away. Rei just shrugged his shoulders; they were used to it.  
  
"Good to see you're back to your normal self," Tyson muttered under his breath.  
  
"So, Kai. you okay?" Rei asked, carefully. He knew perfectly well that Kai didn't like it when others fussed over him. On the other hand, he had seen Kai's pained face during his feverish sleep.  
  
"Yeah," was all Kai said, not bothering to turn around. He sat up, with his back against the cool wall of snow, in his usual relaxed manner, his eyes looking up at the vast black sky.  
  
Kai was exhausted. He was freezing cold and weary from his encounter with the icy water. He was flushed and hot from the fever, but shivering and frozen at the same time. He looked over at his teammates. They were asleep. Kai had lost track of time, staring at the dark sky, but he figured he had been up for a few hours. Rei was sleeping in an awkward position against the snowy wall, and Tyson was sleeping on his stomach, snoring. Max was curled into a little ball, as was Kenny; and Hilary was sleeping gently on her side.  
  
Seeing the relaxed faces of his team, he drifted off into a deep sleep knowing they were okay. He looked out for them, even if he didn't show it. He slept with strange, but comforting, dreams of stars, the sky, and Dranzer, who was safely in his pocket.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Hilary woke up to the faint stream of light coming from the rising sun. She was the first one to wake. She carefully crept over to where Kenny was sleeping. She silently looked at his wristwatch. '6:00,' she thought to herself. She climbed over the wall of the snow fort, and decided to go for a short walk around, since the others weren't up yet.  
  
As soon as she climbed over the tall wall of snow, she realized just how cold it was. She was freezing in her normal attire, wishing she had brought a jacket, and some pants instead of her short skirt. She shivered, and continued to walk through the fallen snow.  
  
The sky was a pale blue, crystal clear with no trace of clouds. The sun was slowly rising; it was just above the horizon. Shimmering snow with highlights from the glowing sun stretched beyond eyesight. Hilary stared in awe of the powerful beauty the empty land possessed.  
  
After walking around, leaving footprints in the untouched snow, Hilary came back to the snow fort. She climbed back in, and checked Kenny's watch. 6:30. He was still asleep, as was Tyson, Max and Rei. 'Oh?' she thought to herself, as she looked at an imprint in the snow, where Kai had been. She decided to follow the footprints.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai had woken. He hadn't slept much; he didn't usually. He was still under the effects of the fever, but he still had decided to go for a walk. As if in a trance, he walked through the blanket of bright snow, not knowing where he was going but that didn't matter. He was tired, even though he had slept. His eyes were closed, and he walked slowly with his hands in his pockets, as usual.  
  
"Hey! Kai!" A cheery, high-pitched voice was heard, Kai's eyes opened at the sudden noise. "Kai!" Hilary was now running towards him.  
  
Running to catch up with him, Hilary was now walking alongside Kai. He didn't show any sign of awareness that she was there, and he kept walking. His eyes remained open, but continued to stare straight-ahead, not making eye contact with Hilary.  
  
"So, what's up?" Hilary asked, attempting to make conversation. She knew Kai was definitely not one for conversation, but she didn't give up easily. In fact, she never gave up. After an awkward silence, she continued, "you feeling any better?" This got her a look from Kai. Not a glare, not a smile. just a look.  
  
"Yeah," he said. 'Why does she care?' he thought to himself, but then shook off the thought. He wasn't one to wallow in self-pity.  
  
"That's great!" she replied, enthusiastically. She instinctively put her hand to his forehead to check for signs of fever. She saw he looked rather uncomfortable as she touched his face, but he didn't flinch. She felt he was still hot, but didn't say anything. They continued walking.  
  
Kai found himself wondering once again why Hilary had just done that, why she seemed to genuinely care. He found the silence not awkward, but comforting, as he could drift into the realm of his thoughts.  
  
Hilary looked at Kai. She thought he was definitely cute; she had even admitted that to Tyson and Kenny when she first saw a picture of the Bladebreakers. When she first met him, she thought he was a jerk. Over the past year, though, she was starting to see he wasn't as cold and heartless as he looked.  
  
They continued to walk through the vast emptiness. There were tall evergreen trees scattered throughout the land. There was a peaceful silence.  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud noise that broke the silence. Kai quickly turned around to see a tree falling, and Hilary was right in the path between the tree and the ground. She screamed as she watched the tall evergreen fall, glued to the spot from sheer terror.  
  
She was just seconds from her death, when Kai dove and shoved her, away from the falling tree. She rolled, and gasped as she saw the tree fall right beside her, with a sickening thud. She stared, wide-eyed, at Kai, who had just saved her life. again.  
  
"Thank. you." she managed to whisper, still stunned from her close encounter with death.  
  
"Are you okay?" Kai asked, in his calm, expressionless tone.  
  
She nodded, and allowed him to help her up. He turned around, and started to walk back to the snow fort. Hilary followed.  
  
Kai and Hilary walked towards the fort, and heard Tyson whining from inside. "I'm HUNGRY!!" he moaned. The rest of them had to agree; they hadn't eaten for a whole day now. "Hey, where'd you guys go?" Tyson asked as he saw Kai and Hilary enter the fort.  
  
Hilary's large brown eyes met Kai's grey eyes. "Out for a walk," Hilary mumbled, quietly.  
  
"Oh, okay. I'm HUNGRY!" Tyson continued to ramble on about his hunger. Hilary just smiled. She was glad, in a way, that Tyson hadn't noticed her trembling voice. She normally spoke very sure of herself, with a lot of confidence. Rei, however, looked at her, his eyes showing concern.  
  
"Are you alright?" Rei asked quietly.  
  
"Yes, why do you ask?" She answered as confidently as she could.  
  
"Well, you seem sort of. shaken. What happened?" His brown eyes looked directly into hers, she felt her eyes dart away.  
  
"Oh, nothing." she replied. Her voice was definitely shaky.  
  
"Okay," Rei said, assuming that she didn't want to talk about it at the moment. A nod from Kai reassured his assumption. Hilary smiled at Rei, thankful that he didn't push it.  
  
"We better move on. We have to find a way back," Kenny stated.  
  
"Yeah, you're right Chief," Max agreed. As they set off, Max smiled at the snow fort he had helped build.  
  
The Bladebreakers walked through the frozen land. There was no wind now, they were thankful for that. They were still extremely cold, however, as they were in the snow. They had been walking for hours.  
  
"Hey! Look at that!" Max pointed ahead, eagerly. They all looked, and saw food and a blanket. They started running towards it; they were starved.  
  
Kai looked at it, something was wrong. There were no footprints, like when they had first arrived. He eyed it suspiciously, before running towards the others.  
  
Hilary divided the food amongst them. There was not a lot at all, and they would save some for later. After a quick meal, they found they were no longer hungry.  
  
"Dibs on the blanket!" Tyson called out.  
  
"Hey, no fair! I want the blanket!" Max cried.  
  
"Oh yeah, too bad because it's mine!" Kenny shouted, uncharacteristically.  
  
"That's not fair!" Hilary started running for the blanket. The others followed close behind.  
  
"Wait, guys," Rei said, causing them to stop. "Let Kai have the blanket, he needs it more than any of you."  
  
There was a slight pause as they registered what Rei had just said. "Yeah, you're right," Tyson said, and brought it over to Kai.  
  
Kai took the blanket, nodding as his way of thanks. Normally he would have refused, but this time he needed it, and was grateful towards Rei. It felt good to have the warmth of the blanket comforting him, and he soon fell asleep.  
  
Hilary sighed, then smiled. She was a little annoyed that she didn't get the blanket, but then saw Kai was sleeping peacefully, and was immediately glad that he had gotten it instead. She settled into a resting position on the ground, and drifted off.  
  
Tyson was annoyed. Why weren't whomever it was out there considerate enough to leave blankets for all of them? He sighed, and fell asleep in the soft snow.  
  
Rei glanced over at Kai, and saw he was in a deep slumber. He wondered who could have sent the blanket and food, but was grateful towards whoever it was. As if it could show him some answers, he stared up at the night sky. He felt his eyes close and soon fell asleep.  
  
Kenny was exhausted. They had walked for hours, only taking short breaks in between. Dizzi was still broken, and he had been carrying the laptop the whole time. He curled into a little ball, and fell asleep.  
  
Max smiled at his sleeping friends. He shivered in his T-shirt and shorts, but figured he could stand it, and fell asleep, thinking of what they would accomplish the next day. He would push and support his team to make it even further than they had today.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai could feel his strength giving out. He had still not yet recovered from the fever, and hadn't had enough time to rest. They had been walking for hours now.  
  
Kai started to feel dizzy and lightheaded. He was freezing cold, but boiling hot on the inside. He found he was shivering, although the weather was not enough to make him flinch. He was trying hard not to show any signs of stopping; he didn't want to delay them. He tried hard to maintain a steady pace, but it was nearly impossible. He couldn't continue; Kai collapsed into the snow.  
  
"Kai!" The Bladebreakers turned around and saw that Kai had collapsed. Max felt responsible; he had urged them to keep going. He had completely forgotten about Kai's state, and now that he thought about it was surprised he had made it that far.  
  
Max was silent as they set up camp. He was upset with himself for allowing it to happen. "Hey, Max," Rei's voice interrupted his thoughts. "It's not your fault, none of us knew."  
  
"Yeah," Tyson chimed in. "We didn't think that Kai--"  
  
"Ssh!" Hilary put her index finger to her lips. "Kai's resting," she whispered. "Max, you were just doing what was best for the team," she added, quietly.  
  
"Don't beat yourself up, Max," Kenny finally spoke up; he was still trying to fix Dizzi, but without success. "At any rate, Kai would never let us stop because of him."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"You are pathetic," Voltaire spat at Kai. Kai was being beaten, with several kicks and punches. "Useless weakling," he said, as another blow was aimed, breaking a rib. "You are a disgrace to the family," Voltaire said as he landed another kick to the face. "You don't deserve to live," he hissed, as a blade ran across his skin, drawing blood.  
  
Kai watched as the memory faded away. As the memories of torment faded in and out of his restless sleep, Kai was forced to remember it all. The dark past he had tried to hide and forget about was back to haunt him.  
  
The fractures of torture continued, repeating over and over again. Weak, disgrace, unworthy, useless. the words kept repeating themselves over and over again. They stung as much as the injuries themselves, and while a bruise heals, the words stick forever.  
  
Only recently had Kai started to realize these things were not true. He began to feel happiness, and feelings other than pain, depression and anger. He had finally started to understand what friendship and trust truly was. All because of his friends, the Bladebreakers.  
  
Through his nightmares, Kai smiled. Although images of him being beaten and abused, neglected and rejected were constantly flashing and the memories were there, he reminded himself that it was all in the past. He wanted to wake up and live.  
  
Kai's eyes fluttered open, as a slight, determined smile appeared across his face.  
  
^^^^^  
  
That's the end of chapter 2! Review please! Thanks! ^-^  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	3. Broken

Sorry it took so long to update! So, this chapter will be long! ^-~  
  
I don't own Beyblade.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Max had been looking at the star-less night sky for hours now. 7 hours to be exact; he had been counting. He was angry with himself for letting himself get carried away. Occasionally he slipped out of character, and ended up regretting it; like when he had lost Draciel to the cyber bit- beasts. now was one of those times.  
  
He gave a loud sigh, and continued to stare at the sky. It was comforting, in an indescribable way. It was 4:00 AM now. It had been 7 hours since his teammates had decided to get some rest. It had been 12 hours since Kai had fallen into another fevered sleep. Max winced; it had been his fault. why had he been so insensitive? He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists out of frustration.  
  
"Don't blame yourself," a cool, confident voice interrupted Max's harsh thoughts. The voice was a little softer, a bit weaker than usual.  
  
"Kai!" Max turned around instantly to see Kai, sitting up. A bright grin appeared across Max's face. Kai gave a small smile, to reassure his words.  
  
"Are you --" Max started, but stopped as Kai gave a nod. His eyes were closed and his arms folded across his chest. Max sighed and smiled; Kai was definitely the same.  
  
"Get some sleep," he commanded. Max nodded, and lay down, quickly falling asleep. A relieved look shone on his face.  
  
Kai looked around at his teammates. They were fast asleep. This was the place he had collapsed, he remembered, and it was now 4:00 AM. The last time he had opened his eyes was when it was bright out, in the afternoon. He smiled; his teammates really did care about him. He wearily closed his eyes, feeling exhausted.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Hilary woke up with a smile upon her face. 'First one up again!' she thought, giggling to herself. She looked at her friends, and her smile disappeared. 'Still sleeping,' she thought disappointedly.  
  
"Oh?" she exclaimed out loud, as she saw a large package lying in the snow. She opened the parcel, and saw a small tent kit and some medicine. She examined it suspiciously, and after checking it over decided it was okay.  
  
"Hey, what's that?" Rei asked, having just woken up. His eyes were focused on Hilary.  
  
"Oh, I found this just lying here. strange, really," she replied. She had no idea where or from whom it came. "A tent and some medicine," she added, realizing she hadn't answered his question.  
  
"Hm, that's strange. Let's get started on it, shall we?" Rei lept up from his spot over to Hilary, and the two began setting the tent up.  
  
"What I want to know is why would someone leave us this stuff? I mean, why would they leave us here in the first place, but why would they just leave us supplies instead of rescuing us?" Hilary and Rei wondered, and discussed as they set up the tent.  
  
"Not a clue, Hilary," Rei replied seriously. "I wish I knew, but it makes about as much sense as Tyson with his mouth full," he added with a smile. Hilary couldn't help but smirk; she knew how Tyson ate.  
  
"Aargh!" Hilary and Rei looked over at Kenny. He had recently woken up and was attempting to fix Dizzi again, without luck. He was pulling his hair out like usual when stressed.  
  
"Oh, hey chief," Rei said, walking over towards Kenny. "What's up?"  
  
"Dizzi's still not working!" he cried, exasperated. He looked near tears.  
  
"Hey, Kenny. Calm down," Hilary said reassuringly. "I'm sure we can fix your laptop."  
  
"Yeah, my mom can help!" Max's happy voice was heard. He had woken from all the commotion.  
  
"Oh, that's right! Judy's a computer expert!" Kenny exclaimed, hope evident in his voice.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure she'd be glad to help out," Max said with a comforting smile.  
  
"So. hungry." Tyson had barely waken. He had his eyes closed tight, and moaned from hunger.  
  
"Gotta agree with him," Rei said, with a sigh. Max and Hilary nodded. Another day had gone by without a trace of food.  
  
Tyson sat up. "I'm starved!" he complained.  
  
"We KNOW that, Tyson!" Hilary retorted, her voice raised. "We ALL are! Now if you would just stop complaining for once--"  
  
"I don't have to listen to anyone, especially YOU, Hilary," Tyson said, folding his arms and turning away.  
  
"Why you--" Hilary started with an angry look in her eyes.  
  
"Hey, guys, stop fighting." Kenny said meekly. He always tried to stop his closest friends from fighting, but without success.  
  
Tyson turned around, face to face with Hilary. Each had a menacing glare upon their faces. Max grabbed Hilary's arms, and Rei held back Tyson. Kenny sighed with relief.  
  
"Hey! Kai!" Kenny cried out. Max and Rei let go and Tyson and Hilary stopped fighting and turned around, to see Kai sitting upright.  
  
He looked completely exhausted and sick. He looked worse than before, and despite his best efforts to hide it, it was very obvious. "Oh, man! What's up dude?" Tyson shouted, rushing to his friend's side.  
  
Kai didn't say anything, just directed his view to Tyson. "You okay?" Rei asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Kai gave a small nod, but Tyson just rolled his eyes. "Of course not, Rei! Do you honestly think he's okay?"  
  
"Well no, I--" Rei started, startled at the sudden outburst.  
  
"If you think for one second that he's perfectly fine, you're sadly mistaken. You can't even recognize that Kai's in serious trouble. Some 'friend' you are!" Tyson snapped, in one of his rare serious moments.  
  
"Now, look, Tyson." Rei started, warningly. His eyes were narrowed, his voice trying to hold back the anger building up.  
  
"Tyson! Will you just be quiet?! Rei was only being polite! If anyone around here is dense it's you!" Hilary exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, Tyson. He was only being nice," Max said, a little apologetically. He felt like he should have taken his best friend's side, but he completely agreed with Rei and Hilary. Kenny just backed away, not wanting to get involved.  
  
"Tyson, I said I was fine." Kai interrupted. He definitely did not sound fine; his voice was weak, although the cool tone remained.  
  
"Oh, sure you are," Tyson said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Wait! We've got some medicine!" Hilary exclaimed, suddenly remembering. She brought out a little red and white bottle.  
  
The Bladebreakers brought Kai into the small tent and forced the medicine down his throat, although he could hardly put up a struggle. He winced as the bitter medicine burned his throat.  
  
"Aw, man, that stuff must taste awful," Tyson said, seeing Kai's expression.  
  
"You bet," Kai managed to say, with a slight smirk that quickly disappeared as he narrowed his eyes in discomfort.  
  
Hilary climbed out of the tent; it was too crowded. She took a deep breath of the cool crisp air. Her eyes suddenly spotted a parcel lying in the snow. She quickly looked around for a trace of who might have sent it, but there was nobody in sight. 'Strange,' she thought.  
  
Hilary unwrapped the parcel, and found food and water. She quickly told the rest of the Bladebreakers, and they came quickly. They quickly managed to eat it all, and their stomachs were satisfied. Hilary ate her share, then decided to bring some food and water to Kai.  
  
"Kai?" she asked cautiously, bringing his eyes open. They had been closed tightly in discomfort from the burning medicine. Hilary handed him the water, which he took gratefully.  
  
"Thanks, Hilary," he said, gripping the water tightly.  
  
"No problem," she replied politely, with a smile. She was relieved that he was okay. "You want something to eat?" she asked, attempting to break the silence. She knew he hadn't eaten in days. She waited, but got no reply, and started to head out of the tent.  
  
"Let's go," he said suddenly, standing up.  
  
"But--" she started, but he was already out of the tent.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Let it rip!" the voices of the Bladebreakers were the only sound for miles. They had been walking for hours, and had to stop for a break. Kai had suggested they practice blading on the ice, to test their control.  
  
"Aaaw man!" Tyson whined. He looked at the others. Kai's blade seemed to maneuver perfectly across the ice, with complete control. Rei's was sliding and had difficulty turning in time, but was still managing. Max had a little more trouble; occasionally his beyblade would go spinning out of control, and he would have to summon it back and re-launch it, but he was still having some success. Tyson's, however, was completely out of control, and skidded across the ice dangerously.  
  
"Tyson. Concentrate," Kai said, ducking as Dragoon came flying towards his head. He sent a swift glare towards Dragoon's master.  
  
"I AM," Tyson replied angrily.  
  
"No, you're not. Concentrate harder," Kai said, calmly and confidently as ever.  
  
"Well sor-ry I'm not perfect," Tyson retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm not some kind of icy freak. I'm not cold-hearted like you."  
  
All the bladebreakers immediately stopped and stared wide-eyed in horror at what Tyson had just said.  
  
"Tyson!" Max cried. Rei blinked in surprise, as if he couldn't get over the shock of what he had just heard. "You don't mean that! I know you don't!" Hilary shouted. "You're just jealous," she added a little smugly.  
  
"Ha, me, jealous of Kai? Not on your life, why would I be? I can beat him in a beyblade match any day; he's a complete loner, he has no friends, or family that loves him." The rest of the bladebreakers had their eyes wide open in terror, their mouths hanging open stupidly. Tyson continued, "why would they? He would just reject them and push them away to become the loner he is."  
  
Kai's eyes widened slightly, as he listened to everything coming from Tyson's mouth. He knew Tyson hardly ever said things like this; only when he was angry and out of control did he speak in such a manner. But, he knew it was true, this was what Tyson thought about him. What the others probably thought as well. Kai felt his heart sink. He wanted to run away, shout, hit Tyson. Anything to escape the emotions building up inside of him.  
  
All Kai said was, "if that's really what you think, Tyson." He then summoned Dranzer back to his hand, and slowly walked away.  
  
The bladebreakers all stared as they watched Kai steadily fade into the distance, then suddenly started to yell at Tyson. "What was that for?!" Hilary shouted in Tyson's face.  
  
"That was mean," Max stated; he would have cried if Tyson had said that to him.  
  
"You went too far, Tyson," Rei said bitterly. Kenny nodded in agreement.  
  
"Oh, that's right; take his side," Tyson said angrily, his arms folded across his chest in a childish manner.  
  
"Look, Tyson. Kai was only trying to help you become a better blader!" Rei tried to reason with Tyson. Eventually, he figured, they would get through that thick skull of his.  
  
"Sure," he said sarcastically. "Since when was he sarcastic," Kenny muttered.  
  
"Tyson! Kai was right, you weren't focusing," Max tried to help Rei out.  
  
"That's it. I don't need you!" Tyson shouted, taking Max by surprise. He stomped off in the snow.  
  
"Haven't we gone through this before?" Hilary asked, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Many. Too many," Max said.  
  
"I thought last time would be the last." Rei sighed.  
  
"Which one? The time when he blew it big time with Hilary and we had to beg for forgiveness?" Max questioned.  
  
"I think he means the time where he caused a big fight, and I had to get the bladebreakers together again with my barbecue," Hilary said.  
  
"No, I think Rei's talking about the time I modified his blade and Ozuma had to beat him for him to listen to us," Kenny chimed in.  
  
Rei blinked a few times, realizing just how many times Tyson's temper had caused break-ups. "I was thinking of when he ditched us before the finals, and Kai had to help him out," he said, frowning. "But it doesn't matter. we have a problem now; we've got to help him out, because he won't snap out of it on his own."  
  
"You're right, Rei." Max said, nodding slowly in agreement. "But. what about Kai?" There was a long pause.  
  
"Aw, man," Rei said after thinking about it. Kai was hurt, he could tell. He had seen Kai's eyes flash with an overwhelming sadness, before blinking it away. Tyson had hurt him deeply.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai sat in the snow, his eyes fixed upon the scenery. However, his mind was elsewhere. 'Why did I even think I belonged with them,' he thought to himself. 'I don't deserve friends. Or family, for that matter, as Tyson pointed out. Maybe that's why I never got to meet my parents; maybe they died because I am unworthy of them.'  
  
"Kai!" His deep, sad thoughts were interrupted by Hilary's surprisingly soft voice.  
  
He didn't even move to look at her face. "Go away," he said softly. She detected the slightest amount of sorrow in his voice.  
  
"I-I just wanted to say that Tyson didn't mean anything he said. You know that. We really care about you, Kai. You are our friend," she said, looking away. Kai remained silent. "We need you," she almost whispered, and with that she left.  
  
Kai buried his head in his arms. He didn't believe her. How was he supposed to, after all Tyson had said? All of it was true; he had no real friends. He had thought he had friends. but his supposed "friends" had just told him that they were not. They had never been.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hilary?" Rei said as he saw Hilary walking in the opposite direction he was headed.  
  
"Hey. I guess we had the same idea, huh," she said, now walking with Rei.  
  
Rei stopped, and looked into Hilary's eyes. "So, did he-"  
  
"No," she said before he could finish. Rei just nodded his head. "He didn't even look at me," she continued.  
  
"As I thought. but you got through to him last time, though," he said a little hopefully. "You encouraged him to keep beyblading; never to give up."  
  
Hilary smiled as the flashback occurred in her memory. Kai was sitting there, deep in thought, alone, with only his empty beyblade; Dranzer had been taken from him. He was about to give up beyblading for good. Hilary had come, and encouraged him. She had brought him back to the team, which was the reason Tyson had won the World Championships.  
  
'I helped Tyson win!' she realized suddenly. 'I AM a part of the team. I really do belong,' she thought with a determined smile. "Thanks, Rei," she whispered. She gave him a quick hug and walked away with a smile on her face.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Rei, I want to be alone," Kai said as Rei approached him. He hadn't turned around, let alone make eye contact.  
  
Rei still came closer, and sat down beside him. 'No you don't,' he thought.  
  
Kai made no further effort to make him go away. He found himself wishing Rei would stay, but also wishing he would leave.  
  
"Kai. We're your friends. I'm really sorry about what Tyson said; it's totally not true. He didn't mean it; I know it," Rei wasn't sure just what to say to Kai. He did not want to bring up the part about Kai's family. If Kai was living with Voltaire, something must have happened to his parents. Rei didn't know what had happened when Kai was with Voltaire, but he did know that Voltaire was cruel and didn't care for him.  
  
Kai didn't look at Rei. He acted as if he hadn't heard him. Rei continued as if he hadn't noticed the silence. "We're more than a team, Kai. We're friends. best friends." With that, Rei walked away, figuring he was better off leaving now before he said something even more hurtful.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hey Ty," Max shouted, running after his best friend. He was panting heavily; he had been running for a while to catch up to Tyson.  
  
"Yeah, what do you want," Tyson muttered stubbornly.  
  
"Why'd you walk off like that?" Max asked, confronting his friend.  
  
"I just needed some time to cool off, you know?" Tyson said, sounding like himself again. Max noticed this and smiled.  
  
"Good. Ready to apologize?" He asked, optimistically.  
  
"Apologize?" Tyson asked blankly.  
  
"Yeah, Tyson. You have to," Max said, frowning a bit.  
  
"For what?" Tyson still seemed clue less. Max sighed.  
  
"You hurt him deeply, man," Max explained to his puzzled friend. "He hasn't come back yet, and probably won't until you do. Do you even remember what you said to him?!"  
  
Tyson stared blankly, then flash-backed to a few hours ago. 'He has no friends, no family that loves him.' Tyson saw himself continue to yell, out of control. He caught a glimpse of a painfully deep sadness within his grey eyes that he had quickly blinked back.  
  
Max watched as Tyson's eyes widened in shock. Max knew that Tyson was just realising what he had said. He saw Tyson fall to his knees in a helpless manner, overcome with a feeling of self-hatred and guilt.  
  
Max was silent as he saw Tyson in his helpless state, and the silence remained for what seemed like eternity. "I'm sorry," Tyson finally managed to whisper.  
  
^^^^^  
  
That's the end of chapter 3! R&R! ^-^  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	4. Darkness

Thanks for the reviews! ^-~  
  
I don't own Beyblade.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 4: Darkness  
  
"Tyson!" Kenny cried as Max and Tyson approached. "What's up? How are you? Where did you go? Why did you go? When are you going to apologise--" Kenny stopped after receiving a sharp glare from Max. He saw Tyson's face fall, and knew immediately Tyson was sorry.  
  
"I." Tyson stuttered. He hung his head.  
  
"It's okay, Tyson. Okay, maybe it's not, but what's done is done," Max said sensibly.  
  
Tyson let out an audible sigh. He opened his mouth to speak, but saw Rei coming from the distance. "Rei!" Tyson shouted.  
  
"Hey, Tyson. What's up?" Rei asked in his usual, calm way.  
  
"Uh." Tyson didn't answer. "How's Kai?"  
  
Rei lost his cheery smile. The others noticed, and immediately knew everything wasn't perfect. "He. wanted to be left alone. He told Hilary the same. He's still out there, alone."  
  
Tyson was shocked. Kai went into deep thoughts alone when he was upset. Dranzer had been taken away from him last time, but this time? Tyson didn't know, but he knew one thing. 'It's my fault,' he said to himself.  
  
"Tyson! There you are! I've been looking for you!" Hilary was now running over to them. "Kai--"  
  
"He knows, Hilary," Rei interrupted, knowing Tyson was better off not reminded yet again.  
  
"I. I'm really sorry." Tyson said, looking down.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Hilary said brightly. She saw the puzzled look on his face. "Go tell that to Kai!" she explained.  
  
There was a long pause, all waiting for Tyson to speak. He looked up after a few seconds, and had a determined look upon his face. "I'll do it."  
  
^^^^^  
  
'Kai, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry Kai, about everything I said. Hey, Kai, you know I didn't mean anything I said. Kai, please come back, I didn't know what I was saying. Sorry, Kai, I was being a real jerk back there.' Tyson wondered what to say to Kai when he did find him. He would think of what to say while walking; he would think of something. but he hadn't yet.  
  
As he was thinking about what to say, he could make out Kai's figure in the distance. 'Oh, great,' he thought to himself. 'There he is, and I haven't a clue what to say.' Yet Tyson continued on; he was very confident and sure of himself, he would find something to say.  
  
"Hey," Tyson said quietly. Kai didn't tell him to get lost. He didn't say anything; he didn't look at him. He made no effort to acknowledge his existence, however Tyson knew he had heard him.  
  
"I- I was thinking about what I said back there. I was wrong, Kai. I didn't mean it at all," he continued. 'Man, this is harder than I thought!' Tyson said in his head. 'It's like talking to a brick wall. except brick walls don't hear you. It's harder than talking to a brick wall.'  
  
"What I mean is, we're all friends. You're are friend, and we're yours, and you know it." Tyson paused a little, to think of what to say next. "Friends fight sometimes, but you know what? It only makes the bonds between them stronger. So, here I am, admitting I'm wrong. That's not something you see everyday, maybe never again. But I am now because I realise myself that I was wrong, and I want to fix things. That's what friendship is all about," he added with a smile.  
  
Kai turned to face Tyson. It was very unusual for Tyson to give in, to admit he was wrong. He had no reason for apologising, no motive. Maybe he really did care. Maybe they really were friends all along; maybe Tyson was being honest. Tyson was always honest. maybe this time was no exception.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"What do you MEAN he didn't come back?!" Kenny cried after Tyson had returned without success.  
  
"He just turned and walked away. he completely ignored my speech! Which, by the way, I thought was pretty good myself," he added with a slight smile.  
  
"Did you by any chance prepare your speech?" Max asked.  
  
"Uh. was I supposed to?" The others groaned and sweat-dropped. "Heheh. oops," he laughed comically with his hand on the back of his neck.  
  
"Way to go, Tyson!" Hilary exclaimed sarcastically.  
  
"Hey, calm down. We've got enough problems as it is," Rei said before they could start a fight.  
  
"Yeah. It's really dark out. it's past midnight," Max added. "Let's get some sleep," he added with a yawn.  
  
"Good idea," Rei said. 'Well that was a productive day,' he thought sarcastically to himself.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Tyson couldn't sleep. The others were deep into their own dream world. Kenny was sleeping fretfully, his face serious and full of frustration. 'Trying to fix Dizzi in his sleep, even,' he thought to himself.  
  
Max was sleeping happily. He was always happy. He always had a cheery outlook on life, always something positive to say. He shifted gently in his sleep and his mouth whispered something Tyson couldn't make out. Suddenly, a large grin appeared on Max's sleeping face. 'Freaky,' he thought to himself and quickly looked away.  
  
Rei was sleeping peacefully. His face showed signs of happiness and longing. 'Longing for what?' Tyson wondered. 'Probably the White Tigers, or something. Mariah,' he concluded with a slight grin.  
  
Hilary looked so quiet and timid when she was sleeping. 'She looks sorta cute and innocent,' he thought. She seemed to be deep into her slumber. 'Like Kai,' he thought to himself.  
  
Bringing the thought of Kai up, he forced himself to walk away. He walked to the frozen ice they had been practising on, and launched his blade. It spun out of control just like it had before. He stood there, frustrated, watching the blade go against his will.  
  
"Concentrate," Tyson heard a cool, deep voice. Maybe it was his imagination.  
  
"I said to focus," Kai's voice was heard again, snapping Tyson out of his state. A blue beyblade suddenly knocked Dragoon back towards Tyson, causing his master to quickly catch the grey blade.  
  
"Kai?" he asked, still in shock.  
  
"Try again," Kai commanded. Tyson stood there for a few seconds, then nodded with a determined smile and gripped his launcher.  
  
"Let it rip!" Tyson shouted. This time his beyblade smoothly zigzagged across the ice completely in control. Tyson was surprised, but quickly focused again on Dragoon. Kai gave Tyson a nod, and smiled.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Aachoo!" Kenny sneezed.  
  
"Good job, Kai. Now you've got us all sick," Rei remarked.  
  
"Sorry," Kai shrugged sarcastically.  
  
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, although it hadn't melted the snow. Soft, delicate flakes fell from the clear blue sky. It was mid-afternoon, and the Bladebreakers had been walking for a few hours.  
  
"Coulda had something to do with being stranded out in the snow for days wearing summer clothes," Hilary said with a shiver.  
  
"Hey, what are the chances of us getting some chicken soup or something from that mysterious gift-giver?" Tyson joked. "What?" he asked, after getting some odd looks.  
  
"Let's go find out," Rei said, spotting a package in the distance.  
  
"Yeah!" Max ran ahead and opened it. "Uh." There was a remote control in the package.  
  
"Just press the button," Kenny told him. "I wonder what it does."  
  
As Max pressed the button, a screen came out of nowhere. "Greetings, bladebreakers," a slender shadow said from the screen.  
  
"Oh, come on," Tyson muttered. "This is getting old."  
  
"You've successfully completed the first test. Congratulations," his icy voice said calmly.  
  
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Tyson asked.  
  
Another shadow appeared on the screen. It was short and wide. "I'm terribly sorry," it said. The voice was that of an old man's. They all recognised the voice.  
  
"Stay out of this, Dickenson," the first shadow shouted, and continued to speak to the Bladebreakers. "Now, go through this portal. Believe me, it is the only way. No more provisions will be sent through after the quest is completed. Good luck, Bladebreakers." And with that the connection was lost and the screen disappeared.  
  
"What's going on?" Max wondered aloud.  
  
"Yeah. and what does Mr. Dickenson have to do with this?" Rei asked, although he knew the others didn't know.  
  
"Uh. guess we have to get through that portal," Kenny said. After a few seconds, Kenny started to shriek.  
  
"What's up, Kenny?" Rei asked curiously.  
  
"Dizzi. is gone!" The laptop had disappeared from his very hands. Hilary almost laughed as Tyson, Max and Rei hastily checked their pockets for their beyblades. Kai remained cool and composed. Hilary smiled; did he ever panic?  
  
"Thank goodness!" Max sighed, relieved.  
  
"Yeah, none were taken. Don't worry, Kenny," Rei tried to comfort his friend. "I'm sure Dizzi's safe and sound."  
  
"Yeah," Max added. "And besides, panicking won't help anything; will it."  
  
"I guess you're right." Kenny admitted, sadly. "Let's get to that portal."  
  
"That's the way, chief!" Tyson exclaimed, and the Bladebreakers started to run towards the strange portal.  
  
"Whoa, this is super hi-tech!" Max said in awe.  
  
"I believe they've discovered some means of teleportation!" Kenny said, excitement in his voice once again.  
  
"Only one way to find out," Rei said. As soon as the last person, who happened to be Kenny, was in, they were off.  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
It was like some kind of crazy roller coaster. I couldn't see a thing, but I could feel my heart leap, like in elevators, except a billion times worse. The feeling of excitement and horror that you get on thrill rides. not that I had really been on many thrill rides myself, but you get the idea.  
  
It also felt like I would fall over if I took a step. Which, of course, I couldn't, but supposing. It was a horrifyingly dizzy experience; I would have collapsed if it hadn't all been in my mind.  
  
A feeling that I was about to be sick overcame me. Well, I was already sick. but you know what I mean. And what we saw. was nothing. Total darkness, it made me feel afraid. We heard nothing, we saw nothing. there was nothing.  
  
Amazing how you can feel all of that in less than a second.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai slowly got up from the ground. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to shake off the feeling of complete helplessness and disorientation. Everything was blurry, and came into focus after a while. Everyone else was in a worse state than he was.  
  
Kenny was literally green in the face. Kai remembered that Kenny got seasick, so it wasn't unusual. He saw Kenny stagger a few steps then caught him as he almost fell to the ground. "Thanks Kai," Kenny had managed to say weakly.  
  
Tyson looked a little nauseous, but not nearly as bad as Kenny. Max looked completely disorientated and was walking as if he was drunk. Both Rei and Hilary looked extremely pale. Rei was breathing slightly heavily, and Hilary looked scared to death.  
  
Kai waited a few minutes for everyone to recover. He looked around them. 'We're in a forest,' he discovered. "Is everyone okay?" he asked in his emotionless tone.  
  
"I think so," they replied, still recovering from their frightening experience.  
  
"Looks like we're in a forest," he told them, hearing them groan.  
  
"I'm actually starting to miss school," Tyson mumbled.  
  
"Oh?" Hilary was surprised. 'I'm actually enjoying this. adventure.' she thought to herself with a smirk.  
  
"Starting to?" Kenny asked. He sounded hurt.  
  
"Uh. what I meant was. I. I'm. aah I don't know," he couldn't think of an excuse.  
  
"Hey, this shouldn't be so bad," Rei said cheerily. "Sorta like camping in the wilderness."  
  
"Yeah!" Max sounded brighter. "It'll be fun!"  
  
"Let's go," Kai commanded, as they set off deep into the woods.  
  
^^^^^  
  
The Bladebreakers had wandered deeper and deeper into the forest. There was hardly any light; the branches of the trees blocked out the sun. The trees were tall and beautiful, yet powerful and dangerous. They had been walking for hours, yet the forest hadn't seemed to end. It had just become thicker and darker.  
  
"I have to go to the bathroom," Kenny said. He was so scared of the forest his voice was shaking.  
  
"Kenny, you just went five minutes ago," Hilary stated.  
  
Kai gave an audible sigh. It had gone on like this for hours. Constant complaints, frequent breaks, dark and depressing thoughts.  
  
"I'm hungry," Tyson complained, reinforcing Kai's thoughts.  
  
"Me too. And I'm sick," Max added. "We all are."  
  
"We're all hungry, sick and exhausted," Rei stated.  
  
"We're hungry, sick, exhausted and lost in some freak experiment!" Hilary cried out.  
  
"We're hungry, sick, exhausted, lost and I have to go to the bathroom!" Kenny whined. Everyone glared and sweat-dropped.  
  
"Let's keep moving," Kai said coldly.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Yeesh, what's with him?" Tyson complained to Max and Rei. They were walking once again, Kai in the lead. "It's like he doesn't have emotions or something."  
  
"Hey, Ty. You know that's not true," Max replied. "He just doesn't whine and complain about everything."  
  
"Whatever," Tyson said moodily.  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
They were agitated and angry. The smallest things would tick them off. I knew why. It was the lack of sun. The darkness was slowly draining away all their hope and happiness. It had affected Tyson a lot; he was sulking and angry. Max had lost his cheerfulness and his voice had lost its joy. Kenny was thoroughly frustrated with everything; he was extremely suspicious and snappy. Hilary just seemed quiet and depressed. just how I felt.  
  
I felt so helpless and sad, like I couldn't find happiness no matter how hard I tried. The others affected me, too. It was like some kind of disease. it was contagious. The only one that didn't seem to be affected was Kai.  
  
It was strange, really; he seemed perfectly normal, and we were at extremes of anger and depression. It was as if he had adapted; as if he was used to it. and I had a suspicion that he probably was.  
  
It was a sad thought; I didn't want to think about it. I shook off the suspicion and focused on the landscape. It was so dark, so gloomy. I needed the sun. I craved light.  
  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
I was so sad. I didn't know why, but I felt depressed. Tears welled up inside my eyes, and I started to cry. I shivered and sobbed, not knowing why I felt the way I did.  
  
I had abandoned all hope; nothing was left inside me. What was the point of going on? It was so dark it scared me. Not a soft darkness, like when you're lying in bed. It was a harsh, cruel feeling of emptiness, one that tore the soul from me.  
  
I felt someone trying to comfort me. Gripping my hand tightly, telling me it was okay. I opened my tear-filled eyes to see Rei. He looked as if he felt the same way. I didn't know why, but I felt better. Someone understood. when I didn't myself.  
  
(Kenny's POV)  
  
I was majorly stressing out. Over what I don't know. maybe I was fretting over Dizzi. Maybe the fact I was sick, along with everyone else? Maybe because I was exhausted but was forced to go on.  
  
"Chief, are you okay?" I heard Rei call from ahead. He was walking with Hilary.  
  
"Why do you ask? Don't talk to me!" I found myself shouting. I felt near tears. He looked a little taken aback, but otherwise unshaken. I quickly mumbled a "sorry" to Rei, but he seemed to understand.  
  
(Tyson's POV)  
  
"So how are you doing, Tyson?" Rei called.  
  
"What do you mean? I'm tired; I'm hungry and sick," I snapped. "We're stranded because of some stupid experiment and are completely lost. I'm exhausted but Kai (I practically spat his name) won't give us a break."  
  
Rei smiled. That bothered me. He had predicted what I would say. It shouldn't bother me, but it did. He whispered something to Hilary, and heard her say "Thanks, Rei," and gave him a small smile. And then. a hug.  
  
I felt a wave of jealousy wash over me. I was furious, although I didn't know why. I knew Rei was just being a good friend. She had been crying, and he had gone and comforted her.  
  
I normally wouldn't feel that way. Not at all. I found myself angered at every little thing. My temper and feelings of hatred had risen since we had come to this horrible forest. Since this forest, shadows had filled my thoughts.  
  
(Max's POV)  
  
I tried to smile, wink, anything as Rei came up beside me. But no, I only managed to say "hi," in an anything but excited tone.  
  
"What's up, Max?" Rei asked.  
  
"I. don't know," I confessed. I felt sad. Lonely, even though my friends were right beside me. I wanted to smile. I couldn't. Rei managed to smile for me.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he had read my very thoughts. I knew it. I didn't answer.  
  
"It's okay, Max," he said softly. He put a hand on my shoulder for reassurance. I managed the weakest smile. "That's the way," he said, and walked ahead.  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
The darkness was haunting. I wasn't scared of the dark itself, but more of the memories it contained. The dark memories of my painful past which were mine alone.  
  
I was used to the dark. The empty feeling it gave me was one that I had endured for years. It was this very darkness that I had grown up in; I had known no other feelings.  
  
I had grown up without sunlight. I was constantly in the dark, trained never to have emotions. I did, though; feelings of fear and hatred had filled my soul during those dark years. Pain and suffering; I got that from my grandfather instead of love.  
  
I didn't even know the meaning of love or friendship. Even kindness and honesty was new to me. I had been deprived for over 10 years.  
  
I never did feel sadness, though, during the times before the Bladebreakers. I wish I had. In order for one to feel sad, they must have felt happiness before. When that happiness is lost, they are sad. If they have never had happiness they cannot lose it, so they can never truly feel sad.  
  
"Hey, Kai," Rei's voice broke the silence. I could sense his feelings of loneliness and depression in his voice that he tried to hide with his usual confidence. I doubt any of the others would detect it.  
  
I swiftly turned to look at him. He had something to say.  
  
"Maybe we should take a break," he suggested.  
  
"No," I answered. He stared at me with a puzzled look; he didn't understand why. He didn't ask, though, so I decided to continue. "The longer we are in the darkness, the more helpless we will become, until we are so lost in depression we will never escape."  
  
He stared at me blankly, and after a few seconds I saw in his face that he understood. "You're right," he answered.  
  
The others were affected in different ways. While the darkness brought fearful memories to me, I knew this wasn't the case for the others. I knew some of them were already so overwhelmed by the sheer darkness that they could barely go on.  
  
As I glanced over at my friends, I saw tears flowing freely down Hilary's face. Max looked like he had lost his spirit, his face emotionless. Tyson kept his head down, lost in feelings of anger and loneliness. Kenny looked as if he would completely break down if approached. Rei appeared to be fighting the overwhelming depression. He was struggling but would eventually lose grip.  
  
I, myself, was not affected so much by the dark, but more the memories contained. As they came flooding back to me, I tried to snap myself out of it, but without success. Deep down, I knew they wouldn't stop. They would haunt me for as long as I was in the darkness.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Hilary had collapsed. After walking for a few hours more, she couldn't take it. Wandering through the nightmare of trees; they had no light whatsoever. There wasn't a glimpse of sun; everything had died. Including herself, she felt.  
  
She stopped and started to sob uncontrollably. Rei had gently embraced her, trying to comfort her. Rei alone understood what she was going through.  
  
She was crying into his shoulder, unaware of everything going on around her. She just knew she felt safer now; somebody cared and understood. Rei's presence was comforting. She had thrown her arms around him, afraid of losing his friendship.  
  
Tyson looked at Rei embracing Hilary. He felt jealousy again. but not because Hilary could allow herself to cry in his arms. Tyson felt as if he wanted that comfort. He felt lonely and lost; he wanted the warm feeling of friendship, just as Rei had offered Hilary.  
  
Max looked around with dull eyes. His eyes had lost their sparkle, his face lifeless. Nobody had moved to comfort Hilary, besides Rei. Not that he see, but he knew it. On any normal circumstance he would have been there to encourage them and help them see the brighter side of things. Not today.  
  
^^^^^  
  
The Bladebreakers had decided to go to sleep. Even though it was only 6:00 PM, they had been walking since morning. They felt exhausted and weary.  
  
Kai could faintly make out the shadows of the sleeping Bladebreakers. He couldn't sleep. He had decided to launch Dranzer. The flames of his bit- beast would comfort him.  
  
He launched his beyblade swiftly; and summoned Dranzer. Dranzer's radiant flames shed light upon the forest. He smiled, as the loyal bit-beast shone in the sky.  
  
"It's beautiful," Hilary whispered. Kai sharply turned to see that Hilary was awake. Freshly fallen tears lingered on her delicate face, which was now visible due to the beautiful light that emitted from Kai's beyblade. Her eyes shone in the fire; Kai could see the darkness lift.  
  
"Thank you, Kai," she whispered softly. She suddenly felt her courage return; she had the strength to go on. She gazed at the brilliant phoenix, absorbing the rays emitted from the bit-beast. Rays of light; rays of hope.  
  
^^^^^  
  
End of chappie! Okay, the last chapter turned out a lot longer and more angst-y than I suspected. R+R please!!  
  
~ Penguin Pop ^-~ 


	5. Sunlight

Thanks for all the reviews! They make my day! ^-~  
  
I don't own Beyblade.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 5  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
I watched as the flames of Dranzer flickered in the darkness. The light danced across Hilary's face and I saw that she had been crying tears of loneliness and hopelessness; the tears glistened as they ran softly down her face. Now the tears had stopped; the sparkle of hope returned to her eyes.  
  
She now looked me in the eyes. "Thank you, Kai," she spoke softly and quietly. A slight smile appeared across her face. After hours of crying and sobbing she could still manage to smile. I had to give an encouraging smile at her determination.  
  
I called back Dranzer, but Hilary didn't seem to mind. The light disappeared and the darkness prevailed, but this time it hadn't completely overwhelmed her, or myself, for that matter. Dranzer's light had given us courage.  
  
I put Dranzer safely back in my pocket, and drifted off to sleep. My dark memories came back, haunting me, but this time Dranzer's warmth helped me through them. Reminding me that they were all in the past.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
Was it morning or was it night? It's pretty hard to tell when you're in eternal darkness and have been for days. I had a feeling we'd been sleeping more, slowing down. Depression does that to you; you feel like you never want to wake up and live.  
  
We seemed to always feel tired and exhausted; one never truly knew when sleep was necessary. Kai was the only exception. He was awake and alert always. He told us when we could sleep and when we would continue. He gave us enough sleep that we would feel rested, but not enough to keep us lost in our dreams.  
  
Kai led us through the forest of darkness. Without him we would have been so lost in our misery we would never find hope. Just like he had told me.  
  
Kai's leadership and support had helped us out; but I couldn't help but wonder how he was managing. We did nothing; we followed and obeyed him silently. We offered no support or help.  
  
I could barely make out the outline of Hilary with my eyes, which happen to be extremely perceptive. The others couldn't see a thing in the darkness surrounding. except maybe Kai. He could tell exactly where we were.  
  
"So, Hilary, what's up?" I asked her faint image lifelessly. I had started the first conversation in days. I hadn't even bothered to look at any of my friends before now. I had suddenly realised the Bladebreakers' friendship was wasting away. I had to do something before it was lost. I had made a plan to make conversation with someone the next day; and here I was doing it. Well trying to, anyway, it required a tremendous amount of effort to even look up.  
  
"Oh, nothing," she replied. She wasn't sobbing anymore, that was good. I hadn't noticed until now, but she had stopped days ago.  
  
"You. feeling better?" I asked. I couldn't think of anything to say, but I forced myself to. I felt kind of guilty asking now, almost a week later. But then again, nobody else had spoken since the never-ending darkness, except for Kai. I almost laughed as I thought about it - Kai had spoken more these past few days than the rest of us combined. Of course, I didn't; I could barely think, let alone smile.  
  
She nodded a "yes", and I could have sworn I saw a faint smile upon her face.  
  
Suddenly, we felt the earth shake. It was extremely terrifying - how would you feel if you suddenly felt an earthquake in total darkness? I instinctively gripped Hilary's hand tightly. "Brace yourselves," Kai told us. His voice remained cool and calm as ever. The earth suddenly started to tremble violently again and sent us flying.  
  
"Aah!" Kenny screamed, and the sound of him flying into a tree was heard clearly, causing me to flinch. I could hear trees hitting the ground as the earth continued to shake. Violent winds like a tornado ripped them out of the ground. My eyes were squeezed tightly shut, as I tried to hold my ground. I felt Hilary's grip release as she flew backwards.  
  
"Hilary!" I cried out, but found it was hard to breathe because of the winds.  
  
"Ow!" Tyson moaned as Hilary flew right into him. I was relieved. I felt my feet lift from the ground and next thing I knew I was sailing through the air. I managed to grab onto a tree branch. I didn't know how long I could hold on as I was tossed through the air like a snowflake.  
  
"Aah!" Max cried out.  
  
"Sorry, Max!" I yelled as I realised that I had just kicked Max in the eye.  
  
"It's--" Max started, but was suddenly thrown straight into Tyson and Hilary.  
  
"Aw, man, why am I always the target?" Tyson mumbled.  
  
The winds grew stronger and the earth began to shake even more violently. I was just about to lose my grip when it suddenly stopped. As I was climbing down from the tree I was in, I heard Kai say "Go, Dranzer!" and the cry of the phoenix was heard.  
  
Light spilled everywhere; it blinded my eyes, as we hadn't seen light for days. As I blinked, adjusting to the light, I saw the beautiful bit-beast in all its glory.  
  
"Is everyone okay?" Kai asked. His voice remained confident and calm. I saw Kenny's limp form in Dranzer's light.  
  
"Kenny!" everyone immediately yelled, running over.  
  
"Uh." Kenny slowly sat up, dazed. He put his hand to his head where I could see a bruise already. Other than that, he seemed fine.  
  
"Thank goodness you're okay!" Hilary exclaimed. The rest of the Bladebreakers had only scrapes and cuts, although some were worse than others.  
  
"Yeah," he said faintly as Max helped him up.  
  
"Let's keep moving," Kai said, coldly.  
  
"Oh, come on! Give us a break!" Tyson complained. "Could ya cut us some slack? We just about died here!"  
  
"Do you really want to stay, then?" Kai asked, smirking as he saw Tyson's defeated expression. He returned Dranzer back to his hand. "This way."  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Max's POV)  
  
Light! As I spotted it, I shouted to the others and pointed at the scarce light peeking through the leaves of the forest. It was the first light since Dranzer, which was hours ago. It dimly beamed down in thin rays, and became more and more frequent as the forest became thinner.  
  
"I NEED FOOD!" Tyson cried out. "I'm so hungry I'm gonna starve if I don't get any right now! I'm dying!" Tyson said the most he had all week.  
  
I had to admit, I agreed. We had barely eaten for days! We'd had the food and water that Kai had rationed from our previous "quest", but that was it.  
  
I looked around at my friends' faces. Tyson was drooling and had a dazed look in his eyes. Hallucinating, I figured. Kenny clutched his empty, growling stomach. Rei had a slightly out-of-it expression from hunger. Hilary was even moaning from the hunger. She was usually teasing Tyson about always thinking about food, but not this time. And Kai.  
  
"Kai!" I cried out. He was lagging behind. His face was severely pale. He looked extremely malnourished and exhausted. That's when I realised. "We ate all of Kai's rations. he didn't have any of his rations for himself. he didn't even have any in the arctic! That means he hasn't eaten ANYTHING since we got on that jet!"  
  
The other Bladebreakers stared in shock at what I had just said. Realisation dawned on them, and guilt spread across their faces. "Aw, man, we're really sorry." Tyson started.  
  
"It was my choice, and my choice alone," Kai cut in. His voice sounded weaker than usual; everyone else noticed it too.  
  
Kenny stood there thinking, counting on his fingers and mumbling to himself. "Kai, you haven't eaten in over a week!" Kenny suddenly blurted out.  
  
"We have to keep moving," was all Kai said, and led us out of the forest of darkness.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Very good, Bladebreakers. I doubted you would make it, but you surprised me. Your teamwork is stronger than I thought." A cool voice came from the screen the Bladebreakers had found; the one that symbolised the quest was over. "However," it continued, "it needs improvement, so that will be tested in your next scenario."  
  
"What do you mean?" Tyson yelled.  
  
"You're teamwork needs improvement," the voice repeated. "Mr. Dickenson agrees with me, so that is what will be worked on."  
  
"What does Mr. Dickenson have to do with anything?" Max asked, curiously.  
  
"A lot, I can assure you," the voice said mysteriously. "He is of no importance to you at the moment, though. Good luck, Bladebreakers." the silhouette in the screen hissed as the screen disappeared.  
  
"Looks like we're teleporting again," Kai said, gesturing over towards the teleportation device.  
  
"Nooo." the rest of them cried out, remembering the terrifying experience.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
^^^^^  
  
End of chappie! Sorry it was short, the next one will be longer! Please review!! Thanks! ^-~  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	6. Perspective

I don't own Beyblade. R+R!  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 6: Perspective  
  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
I wake up in Tyson's dojo. That's funny; I don't remember sleeping in Tyson's dojo. Oh well. I glance sleepily at the clock. 2:30, I read sleepily. There's still three hours until 5:30 when I should wake up. I close my eyes again; ready to fall back asleep when I look quickly back at the clock. 2:30 PM!  
  
I leap out of bed, how could I have slept in so late? I feel my stomach grumbling. "I'm hungry," I moan, and make my way over to grab some breakfast-- wait, lunch-- wait, I don't know. All I know is that I want food!  
  
I eat, and eat, and eat some more. I can eat so much; I'm surprised. It's kind of disgusting, I think to myself, but I don't really care.  
  
Since when don't I care?! 'Get a grip,' I tell myself, and rub my eyes. That's when I notice my hands feel different. I'm wearing gloves? Odd. I look down. I'm wearing grey pants, a yellow shirt, and a red vest. That's when I screamed. Oh, no. That's not my scream.  
  
"Tyson! What's wrong?" Max comes running into the dojo.  
  
I - am - Tyson. "Heheh sorry, I. thought I lost Dragoon, that's all," I say. He should believe that.  
  
"Yeah, okay. You didn't lose it, did you?"  
  
"'Course not," I reply. I fish around in my pockets to find the beyblade and show it to Max, with a big grin on my face. "How could you think I lost it?" Wow, this came naturally. Tyson's natural charisma was kicking in.  
  
"Well you just said--"  
  
"Sure, whatever, Maxie," I interrupt. Wow, I didn't think I could be that thick.  
  
"Okay." he says, used to this kind of behaviour. "I'll battle you!"  
  
My eyes widen. I've never even touched a beyblade before! Well, I just did when I pulled Dragoon out of my pocket, but. "You're on!" I found myself saying before I could stop myself. Shoot.  
  
I instinctively reached for my ripcord and launcher, and my beyblade. It was weird; I just knew where they were. 'Okay, here goes,' I thought to myself as I got into position.  
  
"3-2-1 let it rip!" I heard myself say for the first time ever, but it sounded normal since it was in Tyson's voice, and Tyson said it all the time. I pulled as hard and fast as I could. my beyblade completely missed the bey-dish. Man, this was WAY harder than I had thought.  
  
I felt my face go bright red. "Heheheh," I laughed nervously, putting my hand on the back of my neck. "I. just woke up and am still tired."  
  
Max laughed and Rei rolled his eyes. Kai gave me a suspicious look. I decided to try again, this time letting my instinct take over. "3-2-1. let it rip!" I this time launched Dragoon successfully into the bey-dish, smoothly and gracefully. I was so proud of myself, I felt like cheering, but I suddenly realised Tyson could do this all the time.  
  
"Go, Draciel!" Max yelled and knocked Dragoon out of the dish. I stared in horror as the beyblade came flying towards me. I deflected it with my wrist. 'Ow,' I thought as I rubbed my wrist.  
  
"Having an off day, Tyson?" Rei looked extremely worried. Why shouldn't he be - first I couldn't even get it in the dish, then I was defeated by Max with one hit, and now I can't even catch the thing!  
  
"Yeah," I muttered. What could I say? "Sorry."  
  
"Hm." I nervously looked at Kai, who was giving me a suspicious glare. At that moment, Kenny and - me - ran into Tyson's yard.  
  
"Tyson!" Hilary yelled. That was my voice, my body running towards me, Tyson. It was a strange, once-in-a-lifetime sight to see yourself running towards you. "What happened to your wrist?" Man, - I - sounded like a paranoid mother.  
  
"Missed the beyblade," Max answered for me. "Tyson's having an off day."  
  
"Oh yeah? Let's see," Hilary said, hands on her hips. That - was - me. that was what I would have said.  
  
I fumbled to get the beyblade into ready position. "Let it rip!" I yelled, and launched the grey beyblade. Wow, I really DID put on the pressure. As Tyson had told me before, I was distracting.  
  
As soon as I had launched Dragoon, it had started to wobble. It had stopped spinning within seconds. I picked it up, embarrassed.  
  
"That was pathetic, Tyson," Hilary yelled at me. Ouch, that hurt. Maybe I had hurt Tyson before, too. I had never thought about that. "I've never seen you do so badly in your entire beyblading career," she continued to rant.  
  
"Yeah? Well I'd like to see you do better, miss know-it-all," I shot off. What was I doing? Arguing with myself.  
  
"Some world champion; can't even keep it spinning for ten seconds! You really need training." Why wouldn't she leave me alone? Why didn't she realise how harsh her words were and how much they meant to me?  
  
My eyes narrowed. "At least I'm not a bossy loudmouth that thinks we need her even though we're better off without her!" What was I saying?! Ugh. man, I felt stupid; I had just yelled at myself.  
  
"Shut up, Tyson!" I heard Hilary yell, tears welling up in her eyes. Great, I had just hurt my own feelings, and I couldn't stop.  
  
"Get lost, then. We don't need you here," I said coldly. What was I doing?! Rei, Max, Kenny. why aren't you stopping me?  
  
"I don't know why I even came here in the first place," she replied. It was true; I didn't know why I started hanging out with the Bladebreakers. "I don't need you." That was a lie.  
  
"That's good, because you're unwanted," I snapped. Why couldn't I control my anger? I felt sad; I didn't mean what I had said, but I couldn't stop. Now she was upset, and it was my fault. I cared about her.  
  
I stormed off inside the dojo and curled up to sleep. Great, I had been awake for half an hour. I couldn't even last half an hour as Tyson without majorly screwing up. I snuggled under the blankets, but was rudely awoken.  
  
"Tyson! What are you doing?" Kenny yelled at me.  
  
"What's it look like?" I replied, a little ruder than I'd intended.  
  
"You have geometry homework to do!" he yelled, shoving a huge pile of homework in my face. Ugh, the homework I had given him. I shot him a glare.  
  
I didn't want to do geometry homework. I wanted to beyblade or hang out with my friends. Oh, no wonder I had been less school-focused after meeting the Bladebreakers! I now had. friends. but way to go, Hilary; you just told yourself to get lost.  
  
"Just do it after what you said to Hilary," he said, sure that would get me to do it. Did Tyson, really try to make it up to me after fights?  
  
"Fine," was all I said, and completed the stupid geometry - did I just say geometry was stupid? - so that Kenny was satisfied. "Happy now?"  
  
"Nah," he said.  
  
"What? Why not?" I was confused.  
  
"You still need to go apologise to Hilary," he said as if he was talking to a 4-year-old.  
  
"Why should I apologise to her? She started it," I defended myself. Man, was I stubborn. But. now that I think about it, Tyson was always the one to apologise. Maybe I was as stubborn as he was. or maybe more?  
  
"You know you want to, Tyson," Max was now entering the conversation.  
  
"Yeah, you didn't mean all those things you said," Rei had joined in.  
  
"Fine. Whatever," I gave in. They smiled at me as I left my grandpa's beautiful dojo.  
  
I walked through the streets until I saw her. Me. She looked sad. did I really look that pathetic? Boy was I sensitive.  
  
"Hey, Hilary," I greeted. That was weird, greeting myself. there was no answer; she just looked away. "I'm really sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it at all. I didn't know what I was saying," I confessed. "Will you come back?"  
  
"I don't think so, Tyson," she said coolly. Why didn't she forgive me? Was I really that cold? Ugh, my head hurt just thinking about myself.  
  
My face fell. "Why not?" I didn't understand. she didn't answer. When I turned to look at her, she was gone.  
  
I headed back to the dojo. I felt sad. why did I feel so sad? I felt said because Tyson was sad; I could feel Tyson's emotions. He really did like me.  
  
"So?" Max asked, waiting for my reply of success.  
  
"No." was all I could say. I snuggled back up in the comfort of my blanket. Kenny looked sad. Kenny was upset that I had refused to come back. Rei shook his head; he couldn't understand why I had rejected. I didn't know myself. Max looked disappointed, his deep blue eyes filled with concern. Kai appeared as if he couldn't care less, but I knew he did deep down. I hoped, anyway.  
  
"'Night," I told them, and drifted off to sleep immediately. The last thing I heard was "but it's 3:30 PM." and I was in a dream--Tyson's dream.  
  
^^^^^  
  
I was lost in Tyson's memories. It was strange, being in someone else's mind. Memories wove in and out of the dream. I saw flashes of how Tyson had met the Bladebreakers for the first time. Rei was an arrogant jerk. Max was a sugar-high, immature kid. Kai was cruel and heartless. They had changed so much, for the better.  
  
I saw short clips of the Bladebreakers bonding closer together as time passed, as well as past victories in beybattles. It was amazing; all they had gone through together.  
  
The scenes quickly faded in and out. I then witnessed Kai's betrayal. He was merciless and stole bit-beasts, all because of Black Dranzer. I felt shivers run down my spine as I witnessed the event.  
  
I saw, then, how the Bladebreakers accepted Kai, despite what he had done. Why were they so accepting? They could forgive him, just like that? He had been a cold, cruel jerk. he had thrown away their friendship, for a stupid beyblade. I didn't understand.  
  
Then again, I didn't understand friendship. I was polite and nice enough, but I had never had any real friends. Before the Bladebreakers, that was.  
  
I still didn't understand why they had wanted Kai's friendship. I wouldn't have trusted him. Then again, that's why I hadn't had any friends before the ever-so-persistent Bladebreakers.  
  
The fragments of memories from the past year wove the remainder of the dream. They were even better friends than before. I entered the dream, and I saw how much Tyson hated me. Clips of his annoyance and anger towards my very presence were shown.  
  
I felt sad. did I really get in the way? I didn't think he meant it. apparently he had. I started to cry in my sleep.  
  
The puzzle pieces of Tyson's beyblading career flowed through my mind. The anger towards me became less and less, and friendship finally overcame those feelings. So he really had disliked me at first. but not anymore. Tyson liked me.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Beyblading wasn't just some silly game with spinning tops, it was Tyson's life, as Kai had explained to me. I not only believed it now; I knew it. Their bit-beasts were a part of them.  
  
Beyblades were the cause of this very friendship, without them they would never have met. They were the cause of happiness and depression, love and hatred. Up until beyblades, I had never had excitement or fun. I hadn't experienced danger, either, but that was part of the thrill. It was then that I realised that beyblades were my life, as well.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Tyson's POV)  
  
Man, I woke up early. 6:30. I dunno why, but I couldn't physically sleep anymore. I didn't want to.  
  
I got up, to walk outside into the yard. I saw the smallest slice of sun peeking above the horizon. Why, this was probably the first time I had seen that. I stared into the shimmering pond, reflecting the sun's glittering rays. I stared a little deeper.  
  
AAAH!! I would have screamed, out loud, but didn't. I blinked, as if it would go away, but the reflection remained. Grey eyes, staring back at me. Four blue triangles on my pale face. Even if I was screaming inside, Kai's face remained calm.  
  
I - Kai - had come out here to think. About what? About that so-called experiment, and the people behind it. I was completely lost in thought, and wasn't interrupted.  
  
I sat, and closed my eyes in deep thoughts. I probably sat there for hours; the sun had risen completely above the horizon when I opened my eyes again.  
  
"Hey, Kai," I heard Rei approach. I didn't answer. why? Oh, right. I was Kai. Why doesn't Kai answer? I didn't understand. I didn't even turn to look at him.  
  
"What do you think's going on with the experiments and stuff? I've sort of felt. like something's not quite right."  
  
"Yeah, I've felt it too," Kai's voice came when I spoke. I almost choked, or laughed, or showed surprise in my face, but I didn't. Wait - I felt what too? Kai understood, but I didn't.  
  
"Do you think we're being tested right now? I mean, we did go through that portal to find ourselves back to civilisation. There's gotta be some catch."  
  
"They're testing us as we speak," I said, calmly. I felt afraid of them, the ones using us as experiments. I didn't know why I would feel afraid. As if in answer, I felt a flashback come to me.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"But sir, it may kill him in the process, it is highly dangerous," a panicked voice protested.  
  
"I don't care. Just do it," a harsh, cruel voice replied. Voltaire. my - Kai's - grandfather. He had no love for me; he didn't give a care about me. I suddenly appreciated my own grandpa. He was strange, no doubt, but he loved me.  
  
I was in a cold, dark place of stone. The abbey, I knew. I could see cells with. children. in them. It gave me shivers.  
  
I saw the scientist inject me with a needle. I felt stabbing pains all over my body, like I would explode. It was more painful than anything I - Tyson - had ever experienced; it would have killed me. But it didn't kill Kai.  
  
I felt like screaming in the pain, but my instincts warned me not to, I would be beaten if I did. I let out a soft moan as I fell to my knees, almost unconscious.  
  
"Get up, boy," Voltaire harshly commanded. I forced myself to my feet; it was nearly impossible but Kai did it. As I stood up, I felt a harsh blow to my face. I would have cried in pain, but not Kai. Kai remained standing, strong as ever.  
  
"You are weak. Pathetic," he spat. Ouch. That hurt Kai as much, or worse, than the physical pain. With a final blow to the head, the flashback ended.  
  
^^^^^  
  
I quickly snapped into reality. I was traumatised. by merely one flash of Kai's past. I was scared. Kai was not, though.  
  
I needed to escape from the horrid memory. but how. suddenly, I remembered. Beyblading.  
  
I took Dranzer from Kai's pocket. I launched the beyblade that was not my own. "Let it rip!"  
  
I felt comfort surge through me, as Dranzer neatly zigzagged through the dirt. I felt happiness. it was a foreign feeling. It was powerful, agile and strong. I saw as Rei's grey blade was launched, and soon was hitting Kai's blue blade.  
  
Sparks were flying as they launched attacks against one another. "Go, Driger!" Rei yelled, and pushed Dranzer back.  
  
"Dranzer!" I cried out. I couldn't control the powerful beyblade. shoot. "Attack," I commanded.  
  
Dranzer hit Driger with little force, but since Dranzer was so powerful, it made a heavy impact. Dranzer repeatedly knocked the grey beyblade, causing sparks.  
  
"Driger!" now the beyblades were both ramming into each other, heating up. We both returned our beyblades to our hand.  
  
"Hey, guys, what's up?" Hilary was now walking towards us. She was really cute, I found myself thinking.  
  
"Hey, Hilary. We were just sorta talking about the 'experiment,'" Rei said.  
  
"Yeah? Max, Kenny and I went out to get some lunch. Where's Tyson?"  
  
"I-" Oh man, I just about said something really, really stupid there, "would guess he's still sleeping," I finished. Luckily, Kai's voice hadn't paused or wavered, it remained completely cool and smooth.  
  
"Yeah, it's only 1:00," Rei laughed.  
  
"Oh," she said. "Yeah, okay."  
  
"Why?" I had to ask. Shoot, Kai didn't speak this much!  
  
"Oh, I just. wanted to talk with him, that's all." Hilary wanted to speak with me? I felt jumpy inside. " He might know something about those mysterious people. I bet they're trying to take over the world!" Oh. Darn. I thought. never-mind.  
  
I gave her a suspicious glance. "I'll go try to wake him," she said, a little uncomfortable under Kai's watch.  
  
"Tyson! Get up!" Hilary yelled from inside the Dojo.  
  
"Just another hour." I heard my voice. That was totally freaky.  
  
"Get up NOW!" she slapped her hand on the wooden floor. I couldn't help but follow Rei into the dojo. this was too weird.  
  
"Okay, already! I'm up!" he yelled, annoyed. Strange. the words were coming out of my mouth, with my voice, and my attitude.  
  
"Tyson! I just wanted to talk to you!" Hilary yelled back, frustrated.  
  
"This early in the morning?" he asked, yawning.  
  
"Tyson, it's the afternoon, if you hadn't noticed. Which, you probably haven't." Rei pointed out, as he and Max smirked.  
  
He paused, and thought for a few seconds before reacting. "Hey! Are you saying I'm slow?"  
  
Man, he was dense. wait, that was me! Great. I really was stupid, sometimes.  
  
Max nodded, still smirking. Tyson gave him a glare, and crossed his arms. "Hey, you're starting to act like Kai," Max joked. "No offence, Kai," he added quickly.  
  
What was I supposed to think? I was Tyson, but. I found myself just giving him a look. It wasn't a glare; it was more of a "whatever," sort of look.  
  
"Uh. so who wants lunch?" Kenny cried, desperately to break the awkward silence.  
  
"Yeah, I'm starved," Rei said, happily.  
  
"YEAH! LUNCH!" Tyson shouted, jumping out of the blankets - my blankets - and hitting Hilary in the face. "Whoops," he said, a little ashamed.  
  
"Tyson!" Hilary yelled, rubbing her forehead gingerly. The others sweat- dropped.  
  
"Heheh sorry," he gave a cheesy grin. He seemed really immature, the way he was acting. Wait! That was me, acting like an idiot.  
  
"Here!" Kenny threw the bowls of noodles at us in an attempt to prevent an argument. Noodles landed in Max, Hilary's and Tyson's faces and hair. Rei dodged the flying noodles, causing them to fly into the wall. My lightning fast reflexes caught the bowl of noodles, without dropping a single one.  
  
"Heheh." Kenny gave a nervous grin. He saw the death-glares aimed at him, and ran quickly out of the dojo. Rei burst into laughter as they stood there stupidly with noodles sliding down their faces. It was amusing, really. I almost smiled.  
  
They sat there, picking noodles out of their hair, as I slowly ate my bowl of noodles. Tyson glared at me, sticking out his tongue. Wow, I was pretty immature.  
  
"Hi-yah!" my grandpa whacked him in the head, causing the bowl on his head to break. This caused Rei to laugh even harder, and Max and Hilary started to giggle as well. Eventually, they all started laughing hysterically until near tears.  
  
"Heheh sorry, dude," my grandpa told him. "You're outta whack; you gotta get your guard up, homie! Always be prepared!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever, grandpa," I heard him say. I felt a pang of jealousy - how could he be so. disrespectful, I found myself wondering in shock. A flashback of Kai's past came to me.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"You are weak, you disappoint me," Voltaire's cold voice spat out. A kick made its way to my ribs. His fist hit me hard in the face. Pain flooded through me, but I didn't flinch.  
  
"Don't touch me," I said coldly, through gritted teeth.  
  
He gave a harsh, cruel laugh. "Don't you talk back to me," he said with a powerful slap to my face.  
  
"I'll do as I please," I said, although in a tremendous amount of pain. With that, his henchmen grabbed me. I couldn't fight them off, and they carried me to a cell. They literally threw me against the cold stone wall and locked me up.  
  
"I hope this will teach you to respect me," Voltaire said, laughing as I cringed in pain. I couldn't get back up to my feet after that last slam into the wall, and soon blacked out. The last thing I saw was Voltaire's figure walking away, laughing cruelly.  
  
My ten-year-old body lay limp in the cold, dark cell.  
  
^^^^^  
  
I couldn't take any more. I needed to escape. I went outside to practise. I had mastered Dranzer's awesome power after the most intense amount of beyblading I had ever done.  
  
When I finally went back inside, the sky was completely dark and the moon and stars shone in the pond. It was 11:00 PM. I hadn't eaten since lunch, but didn't care. I got into the blankets on the floor and slept a dreamless sleep. I was glad.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Kai's POV) I woke up feeling strange. I wasn't in the same position I had been when I fell asleep. Something was wrong.  
  
I was feeling happy. No dark memories or thoughts clouded my mind. I felt at peace. It was unusual - I had never felt this before. There were no dark memories because my past was happy, full of love. because I wasn't myself.  
  
I stood up and looked at my reflection. My instincts were right - I wasn't in my body, I was in Rei's. I was shocked, but quickly overcame it.  
  
There were a few sad moments in Rei's life, but they were few and way overpowered by all the happy moments.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Memories came to me, but not my own. I saw bits and pieces of Rei's past. All the moments were filled with joy and laughter. He was surrounded with friends and those that loved him.  
  
As I relived Rei's past, I felt happiness flood me, even though the past was not my own. His childhood was happy and full of love. He was respected and looked up to; he was praised and had many friends in his village.  
  
His whole life he was respected and loved, so only naturally he returned this to others. The others must have had loving families as well. I think I finally understood what a real family was. or what it was supposed to be, anyway.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hey, Rei!" Hilary's cheerful voice said.  
  
"Hey, Hilary, what's up?" Rei's voice came. It was surprising how easily words came when you were happy.  
  
"Well, me and Kenny wanted you to try out this new practise technique we set up," she said. Okay, I'd have to use Driger. I could manage.  
  
"Okay," I said, following her outside. I saw flat, smooth stones spread out in Tyson's pond. "You want me to have Driger leap from stone to stone across the pond," I guessed.  
  
"Precisely!" Kenny exclaimed. "You're really observant, Rei. Go ahead!"  
  
I swiftly launched Rei's beyblade. It was different from Dranzer, for sure, but I had adjusted within seconds. I had total control over it, and focused on Driger. It easily leapt from stone to stone, barely skimming the water.  
  
"Yeah! Way to go, Rei!" Hilary cheered. "That was almost too easy for you!"  
  
Kenny grinned and congratulated me. "Yeah, I had set up the challenge using data from Dizzi so that it would be difficult."  
  
Oh.  
  
"Good job, anyway," he said, since I had become silent. I smiled. It was a natural thing to do for Rei.  
  
"Hey, guys!" Max's happy voice came.  
  
"Oh, Max!" Kenny said excitedly. "You're just in time to try a new challenge!"  
  
"Bring it on!" he grinned. He launched his beyblade onto the smooth stone. It made the first two, but plunged into the water after missing the third stone.  
  
"Aw, man, now I gotta go get it," he laughed.  
  
"Ooh, hadn't thought about that one, chief," Dizzi said from her laptop. Wait. Dizzi was gone. this wasn't right. Something was definitely wrong - this wasn't real. That would explain the whole different perspective thing; it was all a dream.  
  
As soon as I figured this out, I felt things were changing. The dream was ending. I found I didn't want it to end, I envied Rei and the others. I longed for happiness, but I was haunted by my abusive past.  
  
I felt sad inside.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
It was sunny out when I woke up. I beamed with happiness like the sun shone. I walked into the bathroom to wash my face. man, was I ever freaked out when I saw those blue eyes staring back at me in the mirror.  
  
I looked down at myself to make sure the mirror didn't lie. Nope, it wasn't lying. Oversized shirt, with blond hair to match the stars. I'm still dreaming, I thought to myself.  
  
"Hey! Maxie! Hurry up!" Tyson was banging on the bathroom door. Maxie? Okay, I wasn't hallucinating. I splashed water in my face to make sure I was fully awake. Yep, I was officially Max.  
  
"Hello?!" Tyson continued to forcefully bang on the door.  
  
"Just a sec," I shouted. Oh. that was Max's innocent voice. I took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Here I go.  
  
"Max!" Tyson's voice came again. I swiftly opened the door. Smack! The door hit Tyson in the face.  
  
"Sorry, Tyson." I started.  
  
"That was mean," he whined childishly.  
  
"I--" I started, but stopped as I saw Tyson chuckling.  
  
"Hey, Maxie! Don't sweat it!" Tyson grinned, rubbing his forehead.  
  
I felt relieved. I didn't want to start anything that might hurt our friendship; the Bladebreakers were my best friends in the whole world.  
  
Oh, now I was confused. I was thinking Max's thoughts, and feeling what Max felt. Now I understood Max that much better.  
  
"Hey, Max! Let's go!" Tyson said anxiously, pulling his beyblade out of his pocket.  
  
"You're on!" I said. Oh, why did I have to say that? Draciel was a totally different type of blade than Driger. Here goes.  
  
We walked outside into the bright afternoon sun. Great, they were all watching me. Okay, I can do this, I told myself. "3.2.1. Let it rip!" I launched Draciel as Tyson fired Dragoon.  
  
"Go! Draciel!" I yelled. It wasn't so hard, after all, after all a beyblade was a beyblade. "Attack!"  
  
"Wow, Maxie, feeling aggressive today, are we?" Tyson laughed. Oh, right. Max was a defensive type. whoops.  
  
"Keep on the attack, Draciel!" I commanded.  
  
"Huh?" Tyson was surprised.  
  
"Now Draciel, while his guard is down!" I yelled. Draciel obeyed, and sent Dragoon flying into Tyson's hand.  
  
"What?!" Tyson was shocked. "I."  
  
"Good job, Max," I heard - me - say. Okay, I was officially freaked out. I saw Rei looking at me, smiling.  
  
"Max took you by surprise," Kai explained to Tyson. "Be ready for anything."  
  
Tyson suddenly smiled. "Yeah, you're right, Kai. Good job, Max!" he held out his hand.  
  
I stood there. Oh, right! I was Max! I beamed and took his hand.  
  
"Yay, Max! You were awesome!" Hilary's cute voice said. I couldn't find anything to say, so I grinned.  
  
"Wanna go get some lunch?" Tyson asked. "I'm starved!"  
  
"Yeah, as usual," I laughed. "Let's go!" We walked down the streets of Japan. We were ordering our lunch. Tyson ordered everything on the menu.  
  
"Tyson!" Hilary gave a disgusted look.  
  
"What? I'm hungry!" he glared at her.  
  
"You're embarrassing us!" Kenny cried out.  
  
"Oh, really? Well sor-ry!" Tyson said sarcastically.  
  
"You should be! You're acting like a pig!" Hilary shouted.  
  
"Oh, yeah?" Tyson grabbed a milkshake and dumped it on her head. She was outraged.  
  
"TYSON! That's it! I've had it with you!" Hilary stormed off.  
  
"Tyson! That was unnecessary!" Kenny yelled.  
  
"Yeah?" Tyson grabbed his other milkshake and dumped it on Kenny's head and started to laugh.  
  
"That. wasn't funny." Kenny stuttered. He looked like he was about to cry.  
  
"Kenny, Tyson didn't--" Rei started, but Kenny had already run off.  
  
"Oh, I sure did mean it. Why does everyone always take Hilary's side?" he said angrily.  
  
"Because you always act without thinking," I saw myself say.  
  
"You wanna milkshake too?" Tyson yelled.  
  
Rei sighed, exasperated, and left the restaurant. Tyson crossed his arms and walked out, leaving me all alone in the restaurant, as Kai hadn't come.  
  
Could this day get any worse? The waitress came with a huge mound of food, and handed me the bill, in answer.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Uh. Tyson?" I knocked on the door of his dojo. He came out, a scowl upon his face. "Umm, well I was just wondering if I could, you know, still sleep here? I don't have anywhere to sleep," I explained, sheepishly.  
  
"Fine," he said, reluctantly, an angry tone still evident in his voice.  
  
I snuggled into the warm blankets on the floor, but the warmth was artificial. My friends were fighting.  
  
I felt lonely. Max's parents were separated, and although he didn't show it, it was really hard for him. I felt his frustrating sadness wash over me. I felt alone in the world.  
  
Maybe that's why Max was usually so optimistic. It was his way of facing reality.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Max's POV)  
  
I woke up to find myself in someone else's bed. That was weird. I hopped out of bed, and felt about a foot shorter. BROWN hair covered my face. Oh man, this was too weird. I couldn't see properly. I reached on the bedside table and put my glasses on.  
  
Glasses?! I didn't have glasses! But, when I put Kenny's glasses on, I could see. Oh dear. I looked in the mirror, and nearly fainted.  
  
"AAAH!" I yelled. Oh my. That was Kenny's scream.  
  
"Kenny, dear? What's wrong?" I heard a woman yell from downstairs.  
  
"N-nothing," I stammered. I. was Kenny. I ran downstairs.  
  
"Bye, dear," Kenny's mom said. "Oh, Kenny, your tie! Let me fix it for you." She quickly did up the tie properly; I was relieved. I hadn't known how to do it up.  
  
"Thanks. mom," I remembered, running out the door.  
  
Oh, great. I didn't know which way Tyson's dojo was. I slapped my forehead in annoyance.  
  
I wandered the streets of Japan, lost. Well, it couldn't be that far, I mean Kenny walked to Tyson's all the time.  
  
"Hey, Kenny!" Hilary yelled from down the street. Oh, thank goodness. I had been wandering for a few hours now.  
  
"Hello, Hilary," I said, relieved.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked, suspiciously.  
  
"Uh. I was just taking a walk," I said, nervously. "What about you?"  
  
"I was going to your house," she pointed behind me. I felt so stupid. I had been wandering for hours and had ended up back in front of Kenny's house! "We were waiting for you, for hours!"  
  
"Oh, sorry. I was just busy, thinking. about Dizzi, she's broken," I said, hastily.  
  
"Oh, really? That's too bad," she sympathised.  
  
"So, let's go, then, to Tyson's," I said quickly.  
  
"Okay. Want me to look at Dizzi? I know I don't know much, but I might be able to help," she offered.  
  
"Uh, no thanks. Wanna go get something to eat?" I didn't want her to look at Dizzi; she was perfectly fine.  
  
"Sure. Your parents' restaurant is right there!" she pointed out. Shoot. Smart move.  
  
"Then again, we should go to Tyson's before they panic about us," I said, quickly. Sorry, Kenny, I just made you look completely stupid in front of Hilary.  
  
".Okay?" Hilary said, confused.  
  
"Let's go!" I said, starting to walk, but was held back.  
  
"Uh, Kenny. Tyson's is the OTHER way."  
  
Groan. "Oh, right. I knew that." I was seriously agitated.  
  
"Oh, yeah, Kenny. We have training today," Hilary told me. I felt like I was gonna kill someone.  
  
^^^^^  
  
I couldn't breathe and felt pain throughout my body; I collapsed in exhaustion. Man, I hated exercise.  
  
"Come on, Kenny!" I looked up to see my own blue eyes staring back at me. "I did it, so can you!" Haha. that was so not funny.  
  
"Kenny, you've only been running for five minutes," Tyson smirked. I saw and Rei and myself crack a smile. I would have glared at them, but they would just laugh at me.  
  
Instead, I just sat there, looking really stressed out. "Aargh!" I was subconsciously pulling my hair.  
  
"Uh." Tyson had stopped smirking.  
  
"Kenny's a little stressed. Dizzi's broken," she said. That was a lie, but hey, it worked.  
  
"Hey, let's all go try and help!" Tyson suggested. They all smiled and nodded in agreement (except for Kai, of course). Oh no.  
  
"No! I - I'm sorry, I'm just a little overprotective of Dizzi and don't want anyone messing with her," I quickly made an excuse. I hoped they would buy it.  
  
"Yeah, okay, we understand," Tyson said, a little disappointed.  
  
"Uh, sorry, but I think I'll take a break from training and try to go fix Dizzi, okay?" I didn't want to do anymore exercise. Ever.  
  
"Sure thing, Kenny," Rei smiled. I started to walk away quickly.  
  
"Kenny!" I stopped, hearing Tyson's voice. "Your house is THAT way," he said, pointing. Oh, man. Not again.  
  
"Yeah, I know." I quickly turned around and started to walk.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Kenny?" Hilary's voice came. "What's up?" I was lost - again. I was happy to see her. but annoyed at the same time. I didn't want to look even more of a fool than I already had.  
  
"Oh, I fixed Dizzi!" I said, trying to sound happy. "I was just going, out for a walk, that's all."  
  
"Again?" her voice was suspicious.  
  
"Yeah, to make up for the missed training," I laughed nervously. It was true - I had walked several hours today, lost.  
  
"Okay. it's really late out, though!" she said. I looked up and finally noticed just how dark the sky was, and how tired I was.  
  
"Yeah. uh. what are you doing?" I asked her.  
  
"I'm going to Ty--" she stopped, and hid a small wrapped gift behind her back, quickly, but not before I noticed it. She must have just realised I hadn't been invited.  
  
Ouch. My day had just got even worse. I felt so left out! Tyson was having a party, and I wasn't invited. Even Hilary, who Tyson tried not to show that he liked her, was invited! And I, was his "best friend," Kenny.  
  
I felt sad. I realised suddenly that I wasn't his best friend, but he was my best friend. I felt jealous of. me, Max.  
  
"So, I'll see you around," Hilary said, a little uncomfortably and headed off quickly.  
  
"Uh, wait!" I yelled. "Which. which way's my house?" I asked, extremely embarrassed but I would never find my way otherwise.  
  
She stared at me blankly, not sure whether I was joking or really serious. I HAD gone in the wrong direction twice already, today. "That way." she pointed, a little worried about my sanity.  
  
"Thanks, Hilary," I said, and headed off. "Have fun at the party," I added bitterly.  
  
I walked into my parents' restaurant, which wasn't actually that far. "Kenny! How was your day?" a man, whom I assumed to be Kenny's dad, asked kindly.  
  
"It was fine," I managed to say, although somewhat miserably. Both of Kenny's parents looked at me; they knew I was lying, but didn't say anything.  
  
I walked up to Kenny's room and scrambled into bed, falling asleep to thoughts of jealousy and loneliness.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Kenny's POV)  
  
I woke up in someone else's room. Cute and pretty things swarmed me; I felt a little scared. I looked in the mirror in the room. I screamed. I was a girl.  
  
"Hilary, dear! Are you okay?" I heard a woman say. Oh my goodness, I wasn't just any girl. I was Hilary!  
  
"Fine." I stuttered. I started to panic, but eventually calmed down. Okay. so what to do? Uh. change out of my pyjamas, for starters. Oh no.  
  
I selected some clothes from Hilary's drawers. I quickly took off the pyjamas and put the clothes on over her undershirt and underwear. Okay, now what? I glanced at her vanity table. Brush my hair, of course.  
  
I brushed the brown hair until it was smooth and neat. I put a neat hair- band in. There!  
  
I looked at my reflection. I was pleased, I looked neat and tidy and ready to face the Bladebreakers.  
  
I walked from Hilary's house to Tyson's dojo. "Hey, Hilary!" Tyson's grandpa greeted me. "Those are some pretty rad threads, homie!" he said, smiling.  
  
"Thanks!" I went out back to meet the Bladebreakers. They stared at me, their eyes wide. All of a sudden, they all burst into laughter. I waited for them to stop, but they kept laughing.  
  
"Wow, Hilary, get dressed in the dark this morning?" Tyson said, gasping for air from laughing so much.  
  
"Man, Hilary, are you feeling okay?" Rei gasped, still snickering.  
  
"I'm fine." I didn't get it.  
  
"Did Kenny dress you this morning?" Max asked, and they all started laughing again.  
  
I looked down, and didn't understand. What was wrong with a white blouse, stockings, and plaid skirt with matching hair-band and tie?  
  
Okay, maybe the tie was a little too much.  
  
"Hey, I heard there were some beyblade parts on sale at the mall," Max suddenly remembered.  
  
"Yeah! Let's go!" Tyson yelled out. Thank goodness, the attention was off of me now.  
  
"Yeah, and while we're at it, get Hilary some new clothes," Rei laughed. They all burst into laughter again. Grr.  
  
^^^^^  
  
It was a nice mall. I hadn't really been there before, except to buy computer stuff. I hadn't come, apparently I was at home working on a new program for Dizzi. That was strange, but I probably would have passed out if I saw myself.  
  
We wandered through the mall, actually acting like normal teenagers. It was a strange feeling. We were a little bored though; the beyblade sale had been a disappointment.  
  
"Hey!" Tyson suddenly said. "I challenge all of you to find the best outfit for Hilary! I mean, it can't get much worse," Tyson laughed. "Let's meet back here at the food court in 30 minutes, okay?"  
  
"You're on!" they laughed; they didn't have anything better to do.  
  
"What about me?" I asked, curiously.  
  
"Go wait in line for movie tickets," Tyson said, pointing to the enormous line. "Let's go!"  
  
^^^^^  
  
Wouldn't you know it; the movie had sold out just before I got there. It had been half an hour, I was supposed to meet back at the food court. I could pull this off.  
  
"Hey! Hilary!" Tyson yelled, waving to me. All four of them stood there with bags and boxes. Oh great. Even Kai had participated? He leaned against the wall, a bag beside him. I hadn't expected that.  
  
"Uh. here's mine!" Max shouted. He thrust the bag into my arms as I walked into (shudder) the girls' change room.  
  
I opened the bag and found a purple shirt with a white diamond pattern, a black denim skirt, a necklace with a purple gem, purple hair clips. I was doing fine until the hair clips. They didn't even come with an instruction manual!  
  
I fiddled with them for a few minutes. I finally got how they worked, and put them in. There! I walked out; Hilary really looked cute. Eheh.  
  
"Wow! Much better!" Tyson exclaimed. Rei nodded. Max grinned.  
  
I was happy; I wanted to impress. who?  
  
"Here's mine!" Tyson smiled and handed me some boxes and shoved me back into the change room.  
  
A short halter dress with turquoise pattern. Great. how was I supposed to put it on? I struggled, eventually getting the darned thing on. When I finally got it on, however, I had to admit it looked cute.  
  
Oh great, I was thinking like Hilary. There were some silver sandals, so I slipped them on. I walked out of the change room, almost losing my balance in the slightly heeled sandals.  
  
"Nice," Rei commented.  
  
"You look great, Hilary," Max said.  
  
Tyson beamed, he was proud of himself for his outfit to be successful. "Ha, I bet I won!"  
  
"As if," Rei said, laughing. "Here," he handed me a pile of bags and boxes.  
  
I walked into the change room and put them on. A green halter-top with gold trim; a white skirt with matching gold trim; a pair of strappy golden sandals; gold and green bracelets, a matching headband and a gold and white hair ribbon.  
  
"Okay, I take that back," Tyson said as he saw the outfit.  
  
"Extremely cool," Max commented. It was. Rei smiled.  
  
"Hey, there's still Kai's," Tyson pointed out. He threw the bag into my arms. I walked into the change room, wondering what the heck Kai would get.  
  
It was weird; I didn't expect this from Kai. A slim-fitting, deep red sleeveless top that stopped just above the waist; a pair of slim black cargo pants with flared legs; a black belt woven with red stones; a choker necklace with red and black; black wristbands.  
  
"Wow!" They were really impressed. Even I had to say it was the coolest outfit ever, and I (obviously) didn't know a thing about fashion.  
  
"That is so freaking cool!" Max exclaimed.  
  
"Whoa! Kai, you know your stuff!" Rei laughed. "You look great, Hilary!"  
  
"That's sweet!" Tyson agreed. "Okay, Kai wins." The others nodded in agreement. Kai smirked; of course he would win, he won everything.  
  
I looked at the numerous boxes and bags full of stuff - for me. That's when I realised they were all trying to impress me. Why? Well duh, Kenny, they liked Hilary! Whether in "crush" sense or friendship, they all did.  
  
I recognised that their outfits reflected them and their bit-beasts. I smiled, how sweet. I felt a little annoyed. maybe because they showed that they liked Hilary. Hilary was my friend!  
  
"So, what d'you wanna do?" Rei asked. Now that the challenge was over, we were back to having nothing to do.  
  
"I dunno," Max said.  
  
"I'm hungry," Tyson said. As usual.  
  
"Let's get ice cream!" Max suggested, happily. He loved anything sweet.  
  
"Okay," Rei nodded. We walked to the ice cream store and looked at all 36 flavours.  
  
"I'll have one of those," Tyson ordered, pointing to the giant sundae on display. It was HUGE.  
  
"I'll have the mango sherbet," Rei said, smiling as he remembered having it in China when he was little.  
  
Kai just stood against the wall with his arms folded and eyes closed. The ice cream lady waited for him to order. "And you?" she asked, staring at him.  
  
"Don't worry about him," Max said. "I'll have that kind!" he said, pointing to an incredibly bright rainbow ice cream of red, blue and yellow. "And a strawberry sundae," he added.  
  
Max handed me the sundae; he was so sweet! Haha, no pun intended. Whoa, what was I thinking?! Hilary's thoughts, obviously.  
  
"Ooh! Someone likes Hilary," Tyson teased. I could detect the jealousy in his voice.  
  
"Thanks, Max!" I said, happily eating the delicious ice cream. Kenny didn't like anything except for plain vanilla, but Hilary thought it was delectable.  
  
I felt a pang of jealousy again. Max had just bought Hilary ice cream. They were having such a good time without me.  
  
"Too bad Kenny isn't here," I said. I was hopeful towards how they would react.  
  
"Yeah, but Kenny wouldn't like it here. Kenny doesn't even know what fun is!" Tyson said. "He probably has fun fixing computers!" Hey, what was wrong with that?  
  
"Let's go to the arcade!" Max suggested, finishing his vibrant ice cream. The others agreed and headed off.  
  
I watched as Max, Rei and Tyson played the games. Tyson and Max were really good.  
  
"Hey Maxie, I'll play you. this one!" he said, pointing to a game.  
  
"You're on!" Max said. They played furiously and intensely. I could see the sweat and the look of determination on their faces. They played for what seemed like forever.  
  
"Yeah! I won!" Tyson shouted after a while.  
  
"Yeah, but I was close!" Max defended.  
  
"I'm the best! Oh yeah! I can beat anyone!" he was getting full of himself again.  
  
"Yeah?" Kai suddenly spoke. It sounded awfully like a challenge.  
  
Tyson stopped his rant. "What, you think you can beat me?" he laughed.  
  
Kai smirked and nodded, grabbing a controller. When Tyson finally realised he was serious he grabbed the other controller.  
  
Kai went on to cream Tyson in twenty seconds flat. Tyson stared in shock, along with Rei and Max.  
  
"Wow," I finally whispered. Max and Rei nodded.  
  
"Huh? But." Tyson knew that he had tried his hardest, he wasn't caught off guard. Kai was just good. Tyson was annoyed; he had just been humiliated in front of us, who he had just been bragging to.  
  
"Not so full of yourself now, Tyson," Max smirked.  
  
"Yeah, you were beat pretty fast for 'the best'," Rei laughed.  
  
"Oh, shut up." Tyson had wanted to impress Hilary I realised.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"See you guys later!" I waved as I stood on Hilary's doorstep with tons of bags and boxes. It was dark out, and I had just had the most fun I ever had in my whole life. Except, it wasn't my life; it was Hilary's.  
  
I dragged the pile of stuff into Hilary's room. I lay in bed, staring at all of it. I felt jealousy surge through me as I fell asleep.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
All of the Bladebreakers woke up at exactly the same time. They felt emotions flow through their minds as they lay in the sand, deep in thought.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Okay, that was the longest chapter ever! Review please, I wanna know what you thought. Don't worry, there'll be much more action in the next chappie! (Note the 'sand' hint.)  
  
~ Penguin Pop ^-^ 


	7. Split

I don't own Beyblade. R+R!  
  
Sara: Yeah that was intentional. I wanted to keep you thinking ^-~  
  
Thanks for the reviews! Now for another chapter!  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"That," Tyson finally spoke, "was weird." They had been lying in the soft sand for the longest time, deep in thought. "I had the strangest dream."  
  
The others nodded in agreement. They had also had strange dreams.  
  
"I wasn't me. I was someone else," Tyson said, expecting them to burst out laughing, or tease him. They remained solemn. "Uh. did you guys." he saw them nod.  
  
"We all had dreams in someone else's perspective," Kai figured.  
  
"Very good, Kai," a cold voice said. They all looked around in confusion, to see the annoying screen that showed a dark shadow of a man.  
  
"Who are you already!" Tyson asked, agitated. The silhouette ignored him.  
  
"Now we have to test your teamwork," he laughed cruelly. The screen disappeared.  
  
"Okay. that was creepy," Kenny said, nervously.  
  
"No kidding, chief," Rei nodded.  
  
"What do you think they're trying to do?" Max wondered.  
  
"I think they're trying to help us understand each other and ourselves better," Hilary said.  
  
"But aren't they evil or somethin'?" Tyson was really confused, as were the rest of them.  
  
"The dude said we 'needed work on our teamwork,' and that Mr. Dickenson was involved somehow," Max pointed out.  
  
"Uh. okay, whatever. Right now we kinda have more to worry about," Kenny pointed out. That was when they noticed they were on a tiny deserted island.  
  
"Man, how stereotypical, being stranded on an island and junk," Tyson said.  
  
"Haven't we already been stranded on an island?" Rei commented. "This is getting old."  
  
"We need food," Hilary complained. "All the food I ate in my dream definitely wasn't real."  
  
They almost laughed, but were starving. literally. They looked around; there was no food.  
  
"You've gotta be kidding. Give us a break already!" Tyson shouted.  
  
"We gotta move on," Kai said. He was incredibly pale, they noticed. Rei thought he detected a trace of emotion in his voice.  
  
"You're right, Kai," Kenny said.  
  
"Look, there's a portal!" Max exclaimed. They all groaned.  
  
"Okay, let's go," Tyson said, grudgingly. "It can't be much worse than starving together on a stranded island."  
  
With that, they took a step into the portal and braced themselves for whatever fate would throw at them.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
Tyson was so wrong. Now we were starving on a stranded island, split up, and sickeningly dizzy from teleporting. I looked around. I was still on the same island, but a different place. All alone.  
  
"Hilary." What? I wasn't alone, after all! I turned to see Kai, standing a little ways away. None of the others were there. I stared at him stupidly, not knowing what to say.  
  
"So, guess we're stranded together, huh," I finally said.  
  
"It would appear that way." His voice sounded slightly sarcastic.  
  
"So, what are we supposed to do?"  
  
"Survive," was his blunt reply, making me feel even stupider. I felt dumb whenever I was around him.  
  
It was a gorgeous afternoon. The island was beautiful, actually, now that I thought about it. There were tall trees and clear skies. The sands were smooth and fine, the ocean calm and pure. It was a pity we couldn't have enjoyed it.  
  
"So, Kai. What happened in your dream?" Even though I knew Kai was not a talkative person, I kept trying.  
  
He looked at me sharply. His cool grey eyes met mine, making me quickly break the eye contact. I looked up again; he was still looking into my eyes. I looked deeper and detected sadness. It was a hollow emptiness, making my heart plunge just thinking about it.  
  
I regretted asking. He remained silent, his stare not breaking. "I felt Rei's thoughts and emotions," he finally said, coolly.  
  
"Yeah? I was Tyson," I half-laughed. We started walking. Although we hadn't a clue where we were supposed to go, it was obviously not here.  
  
Kai was intimidating. He was so serious and expressionless, except when he was beyblading. I felt his passion and love when he was alongside Dranzer. I remembered the picture of the Bladebreakers after the first world championships. He was smiling and happy. He was cute.  
  
I remembered my dream. I had seen how Kai had betrayed them. why? I still didn't know. The sheer power of Black Dranzer, the look of hurt and betrayal on their faces, that creepy old man... I couldn't stop thinking about it. "Who was the evil man at the world championships?" I suddenly blurted out.  
  
He turned to face me, and looked me directly in the eyes. "My grandfather," Kai said; I detected a hint of anger in his calm voice. Great, why did I have to ask?  
  
I stared at him in disbelief. That explained it. why he betrayed them. "I'm sorry." I whispered.  
  
He was silent once again. His eyes flashed with anger and sadness, but he remained cool. I saw the empty look in his eyes again; they were glazed over as if he was lost. He was; lost in a memory.  
  
"Kai?" His eyes suddenly became alert and aware again. They swiftly darted in my direction. His gaze was now upon me. "What's up?"  
  
He didn't answer. He still looked kind of dazed. He looked a little angry that I was asking. But he also seemed sort of - glad - that I had snapped him out of his past, but then again it was hard to tell with Kai.  
  
We walked in silence for a few hours. It was a little uncomfortable, but less than if I had spoken.  
  
"It's getting dark out," Kai finally said, breaking the silence. "We should stop."  
  
"Good idea, Kai," I agreed. The sky was darkening quickly. I was so hungry I felt I could out-eat Tyson!  
  
I looked at Kai. He looked starved - it scared me. He was significantly lighter. His face seemed awfully pale, especially in the moonlight. His eyes were distant and hollow, but that may have been from his deep thoughts.  
  
He looked a little weak, however nothing compared to anyone else who hadn't touched food for a whole week. His determined face remained. It seemed to me as if he had faced starvation before.  
  
I lay down in the soft sand, exhausted from walking and hunger. I closed my eyes but couldn't sleep. I heard the familiar sound I recognised to be a beyblade. Dranzer. I opened my eyes and sat up. I saw Kai silently manoeuvring the blue blade in the moonlight.  
  
Dranzer skimmed through the silky sand with ease. It leapt over and through scattered rocks. Suddenly, I saw Dranzer leap into the water. It continued to spin on the water's surface! It was incredible!  
  
"That's amazing," I said softly. His eyes turned in the direction of my voice. A slight smile appeared on his face. I saw determination and light in Kai's eyes; the darkness had disappeared. Kai should really smile more often.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
Ugh. teleporting was an awful experience. You would think your body would adapt more easily the second time? I think it's worse. I really thought I would be sick to my stomach, but of course there wasn't anything in it.  
  
I heard a soft moan, and turned around to see Tyson sprawled out in the sand. Okay. I was stranded on an island with Tyson.  
  
"Tyson!" I said, running over to meet him. He sat up, still dazed and nauseous.  
  
"Rei?" he said, his eyes coming into focus. "What happened?"  
  
"Looks like we're stranded on this island, just you and me," I said. He sprang up from his sitting position.  
  
"Oh, great," he muttered. "Well, at least we're here together."  
  
"Yeah," I agreed.  
  
"I'm hungry,' he complained. Sigh.  
  
"I know. Me too," I said; my stomach hurt from hunger. "Let's start walking."  
  
"'Kay." We started walking along the shore. It was really nice, but I didn't care for it now.  
  
"So, what was your dream about, Tyson?" I asked.  
  
He hesitated a bit. "I was Kai," he answered, a little softly. Whoa, weird.  
  
"What happened?" I was curious.  
  
"It was frightening," he said. His voice had gone quiet and serious. He looked a little scared just thinking about it. "The flashbacks."  
  
"You saw into Kai's past?!" I exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, and it wasn't pretty. He was. abused by his grandfather," he barely whispered. I felt my eyes go wide in shock and horror.  
  
"No." I whispered; I didn't want to believe it. I had known Voltaire was evil and all, but abusive? No wonder Kai was so distant and cold.  
  
"In the first one he was injected with something. When he fell to his knees, Voltaire hit him and called him pathetic." I stared at Tyson in shock as he told me. His voice wavered a bit. "In the second one, he was beaten and locked in a cell for disrespecting him."  
  
I was officially scared now. I felt so relieved that I hadn't had to see that, it would have scarred me for life. Tyson had just seen a glimpse of Kai's past and was completely blown away. I shuddered to think of how Kai was affected.  
  
"No way. that's horrible! That freak really IS evil!" I couldn't put my feelings into words.  
  
"Rei, I don't think Kai wants the others to know," Tyson said. His voice was dead serious again.  
  
"Yeah," I totally understood what he meant. No wonder Kai had never shared his past with us.  
  
"FOOD!" I heard Tyson's voice yell, disrupting the serious, quiet conversation. He pointed to a package. We ran towards it and started to eat like complete pigs but we didn't care. Then again, Tyson always did, I thought, laughing to myself.  
  
We finished the whole thing; we couldn't be bothered to save anything. I gave a sigh of relief after we had finished, I felt so much better.  
  
We sat in the sand for a bit, just enjoying the beauty of the island. "So what happened in your dream, Rei?" Tyson asked.  
  
"I was Max. It was pretty bad, but nothing compared to." my voice trailed off. "Uh, yeah, so the Bladebreakers broke up over a food fight," I said.  
  
"Yeah?" he gave a grin. "C'mon, let's get moving," I said, getting up from the sand. We walked at a faster pace than we had been; we weren't sluggish and exhausted anymore.  
  
We walked along the sandy shores for hours until the sky was the colour of Tyson's hair. We settled down in the soft sand.  
  
"I'm tired," Tyson yawned. I was dead tired too.  
  
"G'night, Tyson," I said, sleepily.  
  
"'Night, Rei," he said, and fell asleep.  
  
I took one last glimpse of the island before closing my eyes and drifting off into a deep slumber.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Max's POV)  
  
My head hurt from the portal. Everything was so blurry and dizzy. My head was spinning, my heart racing. After regaining my balance and was in control, I saw I was alone on the island.  
  
"Max!" Oh, guess I was wrong. I spun around to see Kenny running towards me, still uncoordinated from the teleportation.  
  
"Hey, Kenny!" I was relieved I wouldn't have to be stranded all alone. When he caught up to me, we just stood there in silence. Kenny was catching his breath, and I looking at the scenery.  
  
"I guess we're stranded out here," Kenny moaned.  
  
"Uh huh," I nodded. "Oh well. Could be worse."  
  
"Uh, sure. How?" Kenny was so cynical. Ha, funny - maybe they purposely put us out here for that reason. I was usually positive and he was often negative.  
  
"Well. we could be all alone without each other," I started.  
  
"That wouldn't be so bad." my eyes widened and my mouth opened to say something. "I was just kidding! Yeesh," he said, quickly.  
  
I gave him an almost hurt look.  
  
"Really! I'm glad you're here with me," he reassured.  
  
"Oh? Okay then!" I was satisfied. He sweat-dropped. I was confused.  
  
"Uh, better start walking, then," he suggested.  
  
"Yeah, okay. This way!" I said, happily.  
  
"Umm sure. But I think it would be more logical to walk THIS way, because when the sun comes--"  
  
"Sure, sure, Kenny," I interrupted. "You're right. that WOULD be more logical." I wasn't really in the mood for another rant, so I headed in the direction he had wanted.  
  
We walked together in silence for a bit. It was kind of awkward. "So do you like Hilary?" Kenny blurted out, suddenly. "I mean, you know."  
  
"Um. I guess, sorta," was my answer. What would you say if you were suddenly asked that out of the blue?  
  
"Sorta?" he was pressing me, his voice was anxious.  
  
"Well, yeah," I was still kinda shocked by his sudden question.  
  
"Oh." his voice was sad now.  
  
"But-" I started. What was I supposed to say?  
  
"No, forget it," he said. He forced a smile.  
  
"Oh.kay?" I was super confused now. I swear you could have SEEN the question marks above my head.  
  
We continued to walk in silence. It was very uncomfortable and nerve- wracking.  
  
"Nice day, huh?" My feeble attempt at making conversation.  
  
"Sure, it's lovely being stranded on an island, starving," was his sarcastic reply. Man, you try to be nice.  
  
"The water's pretty, don'tcha think?" I tried again.  
  
"Sure. Glad you like it; we're surrounded by the stuff."  
  
"The bright sun's sure nice, especially after the dark forest!"  
  
"Yeah. it hurts my eyes." Argh! I give up! Wait - what eyes? I looked for eyes. nope. No trace. Anyways, I had given up on conversation.  
  
We walked in silence for hours until it was pretty dark.  
  
"I'm tired," he whined. Aargh! His voice was driving me insane! He was more annoying than Tyson! Okay, maybe I was just aggravated from all the stressful events that had happened, and I wasn't exactly in the best mood.  
  
"Okay, let's stop here then." My patience was really wearing thin. Speaking of thin, I had myself been getting thinner and thinner from lack of food. Groan. Huh? What was that in the distance?  
  
I found myself running towards a package of food. "Food!" I cried out, and Kenny hurriedly came running towards the food. We ate it all. and then settled down to sleep.  
  
"Good night, Kenny," I said, a little worn out. I tried to understand why Kenny was that way, and the dream certainly had helped. But he was still really aggravating! I stared at the blue sky before drifting off. I couldn't help but notice it was the exact colour of Mariam's hair.  
  
^^^^^  
  
End of chapter! Review please! You can give me some ideas.  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	8. Nightmare

I don't own Beyblade. R+R!  
  
Thanks for the reviews!  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 8  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
I woke up early, from my sleep in the soft sand. The sun had not risen yet; it was still dark.  
  
"Good morning, Kai!" Hilary's bright voice came. We were stranded on this island, together. It didn't really matter to me, whether we were separated or together. but it did. I guess I finally have started to appreciate their company.  
  
We started to walk aimlessly across the island. We were hungry. Yeah, I was starving; I hadn't eaten in a week. I was more worried for Hilary, though. She had never felt true hunger before, and she hadn't eaten in days now. I had faced starvation many times when I was younger; it wasn't a new feeling.  
  
I noticed her pace slowing, so I slowed down as well. I stayed just a little ahead, so she would push herself to go on. Eventually, she collapsed. I caught her just before she hit the ground.  
  
She emitted a soft moan; her eyes a little out of focus. She looked a little embarrassed and uncomfortable when she realised she was in my arms, and quickly sat up.  
  
"Are you okay?" I asked. She hated to appear weak and helpless, something was wrong.  
  
"Yeah." she said, softly. "I'm sorry, I just." her voice trailed off.  
  
I looked deep into her auburn eyes, waiting for her to continue. She flushed and turned away.  
  
"Forget it, I'm fine; let's get going again," she said, standing up.  
  
"Are you sure," I asked, putting my hands on her slim shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact. I felt her tense under my touch.  
  
"Yeah," she said with a smile. Her deep ruby eyes shone with determination.  
  
I gave an encouraging nod, and we set off.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Kai! Hilary!" I heard Rei's voice in the distance and saw Rei and Tyson, running towards us. The sun was bright overhead; it was late in the afternoon. We had been walking for a long time.  
  
"Hey guys!" Hilary waved. "I'm so glad you're okay," she said, hugging them both. They were all smiling, happy to see each other again.  
  
I saw Rei's smile fade and was replaced by a look of concern. "Are. you guys okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Hilary said, but wasn't really. Her voice was frail and she looked weak from hunger. She had collapsed a few times while we were walking, but every time got back up and continued. Her determination was incredible.  
  
"Man, you guys look starved!" Tyson exclaimed.  
  
"Well yeah, Tyson; I haven't touched food for days and Kai hasn't for over a week!" Hilary retorted. "What?" she said, seeing their shocked expressions.  
  
"You mean. you didn't get a package yesterday?" Rei said, curiously.  
  
"Oh man, I thought we shoulda saved some," Tyson said, guiltily.  
  
Hilary looked extremely angry now. Rei and Tyson exchanged cheesy grins, but they knew this case was serious.  
  
"Hey! Sorry we're late!" Max's voice came. I saw him and Kenny running towards us; the Bladebreakers united once again.  
  
"Did YOU get a package yesterday?" Hilary quickly asked them as they approached.  
  
"Uh, yeah. didn't you?" Kenny said, nervously.  
  
"Didn't you save ANY?!" Hilary looked desperate now.  
  
"Sorry." Max looked nervous now.  
  
"I can't believe this! This isn't fair!" Hilary sounded upset. The rest of them exchanged guilty looks.  
  
"We're really sorry, Hilary. We weren't thinking; we figured everyone got some," Tyson apologised.  
  
"Yeah, we didn't know," Max added.  
  
"You okay?" Rei asked. Hilary nodded. She looked pale and weak again. "How about you, Kai?" he asked me.  
  
"Hm."  
  
"Talkative today, aren't we," Tyson muttered sarcastically.  
  
"Aren't I always," I smirked. I quickly turned around; I heard a noise.  
  
"What is it?" Kenny asked.  
  
"Listen, don't you hear it?" Rei asked.  
  
"Yeah." Max strained to hear the sounds of a boat coming closer and closer.  
  
"A ship! We're saved!" Tyson cried out. "Hey, over here!"  
  
The large ship stopped, and they all hurried towards it. They waited and waited for someone to come out and rescue them. It was a large, nice ship that probably held people. But, there were none.  
  
"There's no one on board," I figured. I could SEE question marks above their confused faces.  
  
"Then who's steering the ship?" Hilary asked.  
  
"Only one way to find out," Tyson said and jumped aboard. We all followed him, Kenny rather reluctantly.  
  
Kenny and I walked into the captain's cabin. It was empty. "The captain must have left," I inferred.  
  
"Yeah. I think you're right," Kenny said. "Look at this communication screen. maybe I can hack into it and replay it." He started to fiddle with the many instruments and controls in the captain's cabin. I left; he could probably concentrate better alone.  
  
"Yeah! This is AWESOME!" I heard Tyson's shouts from inside a cabin. I noticed there were only 3 cabins to the whole ship. They were huge, though.  
  
I looked inside. There were two beds, couches and chairs, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Oh, and three hyper kids jumping on the beds.  
  
"Check this out, you guys," Tyson said, and did a somersault off the bed, landing flat on his back.  
  
Max and Rei snickered, as Tyson lay on the floor. He put both hands on the ground and did a flip forward, and landed neatly on his feet. "Ta-dah!"  
  
"Not bad, Max, but learn from the pro," Rei laughed and ran up the wall, then did two back flips in the air, and landed on his feet in a pose.  
  
"Yeah okay, you win," Max said, laughing.  
  
"Help." Tyson moaned, still on his back. Max and Rei started laughing, and soon Tyson was laughing as well.  
  
I walked out of the cabin, leaving the sounds of happiness and friendship. In the distance I heard a crash and a groan from Tyson, followed by even more laughter.  
  
I looked outside. I couldn't see the island anymore. We were moving quickly into the empty sea. Water is supposed to be soothing, but it only brought back bad memories to me. I was soon engulfed in my thoughts. I was drowning in the darkness.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
I walked into the neat, clean cabin. There was everything we needed: beds, a bathroom, a kitchen. Wait, a kitchen?! I ran towards the refrigerator and opened the doors. Darn it.  
  
I searched the cabin for food and found nothing. I was going to die if I didn't get some food quickly! I think I hadn't eaten for 4 whole days now. The hunger was painful. I had already collapsed a few times today.  
  
I flopped onto the soft bed and sighed heavily. I closed my eyes and buried myself in the fluffy pillows. "HILARY!" I heard a voice shout. My eyes snapped open and I saw Rei and Max running into the room, with - gasp - food!  
  
"Here ya go, Hil!" Max winked. Rei threw the large package of food into my arms, and I started to eat. I felt unladylike, but I didn't care.  
  
After I had eaten a few days worth of food, I realised how rude I probably appeared. "You guys want some?" I asked, my mouth full of the substance.  
  
"Sure!" They hadn't eaten for a day, also and they joined in. Tyson came into the room, eating from the rest of the load Rei had brought, and Kenny had come and also joined in.  
  
"Hey, what about Kai?" I suddenly remembered. Everyone stopped eating and looked at me. I gathered up some food and walked outside, to where he was standing.  
  
He was leaning against the ship rail, looking deep into the ocean. His eyes were lost. I could see a look of panic from his memories.  
  
"Kai!" I yelled. With a blink, his eyes returned to their normal, focused look and stared at me. "We found some food, so I brought some for you!"  
  
He nodded his thanks and took the food. He ate slowly and calmly; I blushed as I remembered how I had eaten like Tyson. I wondered what he had been thinking about. I walked away from the awkward silence.  
  
(Tyson's POV)  
  
I saw Hilary come back into the room. Okay, Kai was alone. I had to confront him now.  
  
I walked out of the room and I saw Kai looking out to sea again. There was still a pile of food that he hadn't touched yet. His eyes had a distant look.  
  
"Kai." he looked at me, completely focused again. "What did they do?" I blurted out. "You know, the needles," I spoke softly.  
  
He glared at me. Well, I couldn't really tell if it was a glare or a stare or whatever. His eyes flashed with anger, hatred. some kind of emotion along those lines. He now knew I had seen into his past. He had to tell me.  
  
"They were a test. Basically, if I died I didn't deserve to live anyway." He said this all too calmly; it bothered me. I, however, felt completely shocked and angry.  
  
"That's not fair!" I yelled. "So your grandpa injected you with this stuff just to see if you would live?"  
  
"Or as punishment," he said, calmly as ever. I didn't get it, so he continued. "When I--" he caught himself before he said anymore. He went stiff and silent.  
  
"When what, Kai?" I was curious now.  
  
"Forget it, Tyson." His voice was bitter and cold now. With that he walked away, leaving me standing alone, dumbfounded.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
"Tyson?" I saw him standing alone in the dark. "What."  
  
"He told me. I shouldn't have asked." He looked sorry. Who? Kai, obviously.  
  
"Told you what?" I asked, cautiously.  
  
"You know the dream?" Yeah, I knew. Not any old dream, but THE dream where he saw into Kai's past.  
  
"Yeah?" I waited for him to continue.  
  
"I only asked him what the needles were for, and he goes all distant and mysterious on me!" Tyson explained.  
  
I looked at him; his voice sounded annoyed but his eyes told me otherwise. "What happened. exactly? What do you mean distant and mysterious?"  
  
"Well his eyes. they were sorta, blank." I had seen it before, too. I knew what he meant. "And he looked really angry, but not completely with me, but with himself. He answered me, though. He said they were just to see if he would survive."  
  
Oh. That's pretty scary. Imagine your own grandfather hurting you just to see if you'll live. Psychopath. "So you're saying that Voltaire coulda killed his grandson and could care less?"  
  
"Yeah. he said that if he had died, he wouldn't have deserved to live anyway. And he said that completely calmly and sincerely; that's what bothers me," Tyson said. I stared at him, bewildered.  
  
"And there's more," he continued. "He said they were used as punishment. He started to say something, but walked away and told me to forget about it. He sounded kinda bitter."  
  
"If you're done talking about me..." Kai! Oh no. Tyson and I looked at each other, panicked.  
  
"We're sorry, Kai," I apologised. "We just--" but before I was finished, he was gone.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
"Okay, so there's three rooms," Max said as Rei and Tyson walked in the door. Everyone was there except for Kai. "Oh, hey guys, we were just deciding rooms. You seen Kai?"  
  
Rei and Tyson looked at each other momentarily. "Yeah. he's outside," Tyson said.  
  
"Okay. so who do you guys wanna go with?" Kenny asked. He hoped he would be chosen.  
  
"I'll go with Tyson," Rei said quickly. Tyson nodded.  
  
"Yup! Of course, buddy." Max and Kenny exchanged I-thought-I-was-his-best- friend looks.  
  
"I'll go with Max!" Kenny hastily cried out. He didn't want to be stuck with Hilary. that would be beyond uncomfortable.  
  
"Then that leaves you with Kai, Hilary!" Max said. Her eyes widened.  
  
"Oh." The others resisted laughing. Well, almost resisted, a few giggles escaped their lips.  
  
"Well it's getting late out. Let's get to bed," Kenny said, and they went to their assigned cabins.  
  
Kai watched from the shadows as they settled into cabins. Rei, Tyson and Hilary walked out of the cabin they had been in. Rei and Tyson walked into one cabin and Hilary into the last one.  
  
He felt empty inside. emotions stirred up once again. He stared at the deep sea, which was now almost black, reflecting the sky. He wasn't angry with Tyson or Rei. He was a little confused as to why they would be talking about him. as if they cared.  
  
He wished they had never found out. It was better that way. He was better off never feeling that artificial - love - from Rei's memories. They weren't real. to him, anyway. All they did was leave emptiness inside and a longing for the impossible.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
I jumped into the soft, comforting bed. I scrambled into the crisp bed sheets and warm blanket. Staring at the empty bed beside me, I vaguely wondered where Kai was. I soon fell asleep.  
  
I woke up around 3:00 am to use the bathroom. When I got back into my bed, I heard noise. I saw Kai was sleeping in his bed, a pained expression on his face. He was thrashing about in his dream.  
  
"No. I won't." he softly said in his sleep; I could only make out fragments of his sentences. His face looked angry and pained, yet determined. "Never." As he said this, pain flickered in his face and he flinched. This continued, and it appeared to me he was being beaten.  
  
Suddenly, the beating appeared to stop. A look of sheer terror spread across his face, as his left arm jerked out. Immediately, he started to shake and his muscles tensed. I felt like screaming just looking at his face so stricken with pain.  
  
His breaths were shallow and harsh; it was difficult to breathe. His teeth gritted together to keep from crying out, his fists clenched tightly. His eyes were tightly shut in pain. I could almost see tears forming. The pain was getting worse and worse.  
  
Kai immediately jolted up, awake. His face was extremely pale and beaded with sweat. His eyes were wide and panic-stricken. His breathing was heavy and deep.  
  
"Kai." I said softly. He turned to look at me, sitting on my bed. His breathing calmed down a bit; his eyes quickly hid the fear. "What happened?"  
  
He sat there, taking deep breaths. "It's nothing."  
  
"That's not true, Kai. You can tell me," I said, sitting down beside him on his bed. I put a comforting hand on his shoulder. It was cold and he trembled a bit at the touch.  
  
"No. I can't," he said. His voice was strong yet I detected a hint of emotion in his voice, although I couldn't tell. With that, he walked out of the room, leaving me sitting on his empty bed. I had a feeling he wouldn't come back to sleep tonight.  
  
"Kai." I was worried about him. There was no way I could sleep now. well, why not go to Rei? He would understand. I walked out of the empty cabin.  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
I yawned and stretched as I was waken by Hilary at 3 in the morning. "What is it, Hilary?" I said, rubbing my eyes sleepily.  
  
"Whaddya want," Tyson's muffled voice came from under the blankets, his face buried in a pillow.  
  
"It's about Kai." At this, we both opened our eyes and shook off our tiredness.  
  
"What about him?" I asked, concerned. I hoped we hadn't done anything.  
  
"Well, it was like this." Hilary explained everything that had happened. Tyson and I exchanged glances, as we realised what had happened. "Do you know anything about this?" she asked.  
  
"Hilary, you know that dream where we saw into each others' lives?" I asked. She nodded. "Well Tyson saw into Kai's past."  
  
"Yeah, and I think I know what happened in the dream," Tyson continued. "Kai was beaten by his grandfather." Hilary's eyes opened wide and looked as if she was about to say something, but didn't.  
  
"So we'd assume that was what was happening in the dream, the way you described it," I said.  
  
"Yeah. that would fit what I saw," she nodded slowly.  
  
"And then the part where his arm jerked out and went into extreme pain, I think I can explain too," Tyson said. "When I was in Kai's life, there was this flashback of when he was injected with a poison. I sort of felt it when I was there, but nothing compared to what it was actually like. What I did feel was worse and more terrifying than anything I've ever experienced, and that wasn't even close to what actually happened."  
  
"Why was he injected with the poison?" Hilary wondered.  
  
"He said it was just to see if he would survive," Tyson told her. She looked horrified. "Or as punishment," he added.  
  
"He would have had to do something horrible to deserve that," I said. Even for an abusive grandfather, to do something that would kill a normal person was harsh.  
  
"I mean - Kai - was absolutely terrified and almost died, and Kai is like, you know." Tyson said, and we nodded. We knew what he meant.  
  
"Wait, I remember something else," Hilary said quickly. "Before he was. beaten, he said something like 'No, I won't. Never.' So he was refusing to do something."  
  
"Yeah." I said slowly, pondering about what she had just said. "We should get some sleep. It's past 3 in the morning," I realised.  
  
"You're right. Thanks, guys," Hilary said and went back to her cabin. We crawled back into our beds for about 5 minutes.  
  
"Can you sleep, Rei?" Tyson asked from his bed.  
  
"No, can you?" I assumed he couldn't either. He shook his head and got out of bed, and I did too.  
  
"Wanna beybattle?" he asked, suddenly.  
  
"Yeah!" I happily accepted the challenge.  
  
We headed outside and battled. We had a lot of fun and improved our beyblading while we were at it. We couldn't have a full, all-out match because I had realised we would destroy the ship, so we kept our bit-beasts contained. We enjoyed ourselves anyway. It ended up a tie.  
  
"Hey, guys," Hilary's voice came. "I couldn't sleep either."  
  
"Yeah? We were just having a beybattle!" Tyson exclaimed. "We tied."  
  
"Really? And you didn't destroy the ship?" Hilary laughed.  
  
"Nah, Rei recognised that so we didn't call out our bit-beasts," he said, smiling.  
  
"Yeah? So what are you guys gonna do now?" she asked.  
  
"I dunno," Tyson confessed. There was no way any of us could sleep, and it was 3:30 AM or something.  
  
"Where are we going, anyways?" I wondered aloud.  
  
"I don't know. Kenny said it was stuck on auto-pilot or something, so we don't really have a choice," Hilary explained.  
  
We sat and stared up at the dark sky. It was beautiful and clear; the stars glowed softly yet brightly against the pitch black. They were reflected in the deep water, glittering as they struck the calm waves.  
  
"Let's play a game!" Tyson suggested.  
  
"Okay," we agreed. We had to get our minds free of concern, at least for the night.  
  
"Ooh! Let's play I spy!" Tyson said, enthusiastically. "I spy with my little eye. something that is pink!"  
  
"Hilary's sweater," I said.  
  
"How did you guess?" he wondered.  
  
"Well, considering it's the only pink thing in sight."  
  
"This isn't working so well," Hilary commented. "How about. spin the bottle?" She saw our shocked looks. "Not that I want to kiss you guys, or anything," she added quickly, her face flushing furiously.  
  
"How about cards?" Tyson asked.  
  
"We don't HAVE any cards, Tyson," I said.  
  
"Right. crazy eight's anyone?"  
  
"You need cards to play crazy eight's, Tyson," Hilary reminded him.  
  
"Blackjack?"  
  
"You need cards for that too," I said.  
  
"President?"  
  
"Cards," Hilary said, exasperated.  
  
"Go fish!" We sweat-dropped.  
  
"How about we practise our beyblading instead," I suggested.  
  
"Good idea," Hilary said.  
  
"I wanna play go fish."  
  
"Tyson! You need cards to play go fish! We - don't - have - cards," Hilary said slowly.  
  
"Really?" We groaned.  
  
"Honestly, Tyson. You can be so dense at times." Hilary started. She received a glare from Tyson.  
  
"Let it rip!" We launched our blades with the familiar phrase. We practised on the wooden deck and dodged miniature bottles of shampoo and shower gel.  
  
We heard another blade that was neither Tyson's nor mine. It was grinding against metal with that sleek, smooth sound. Hilary gasped, as she saw into the shadows.  
  
"What is it, Hilary?" I asked. Tyson and I looked and saw Kai, his beyblade streaking across the thin rail. The bar was as thin as the beyblade itself; one slip and Dranzer would be lost in the dark waters below.  
  
"You're insane, Kai!" Tyson exclaimed. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Practising, what's it look like," Kai said coolly.  
  
"Really, Kai. I don't think." Hilary started.  
  
"I know what I'm doing," Kai said confidently. The blade started to fly from bar to bar, jumping effortlessly. Our faces were completely in shock and awe.  
  
"Talk about total control," I mumbled, as the blue blade flew back into Kai's outstretched arm.  
  
"No kidding," Tyson nodded. Kai gave a slight smirk of satisfaction.  
  
"What are you doing out here, anyway," he demanded.  
  
"We were practising blading," I quickly explained. Hilary and Tyson nodded. Kai didn't ask why we were out at 4:00 AM; we were relieved. Maybe because he didn't want us questioning him.  
  
"It's getting a little cool out. Let's go inside," Hilary suggested. We agreed, and went into one of the cabins.  
  
Hilary and I were sitting on a couch, when we heard the sounds of Tyson repeatedly opening and closing the fridge. Open. Shut. Open. Shut. Open. Shut. Open. CRASH!  
  
We immediately turned to see Tyson, buried in food! I burst out laughing, and I bet even Kai cracked a slight smirk. "Tyson!" Hilary cried out. "Oh Tyson, are you okay?"  
  
His eyes were dazed, but returned to focus as he started to laugh as well, out of both happiness and shock.  
  
"Oh wow, we got a lot of. ingredients? Great!" I laughed, and started to put them on the counter.  
  
"Hey! Let's make breakfast!" Hilary shouted, enthusiastically.  
  
"Sure!" It would give us something to do, and besides it was almost sunrise. We started to cook breakfast, well Hilary and I, anyway. Tyson was eating chocolate chips out of the bag, and Kai continued to practise with his blade.  
  
Max came into the room when the food was almost ready. He looked fatigued and exhausted. "What's up, Max?" I asked.  
  
"I dunno. just not feeling so great," he admitted, as Kenny entered the cabin.  
  
"Wow! Food!" He exclaimed. "Oh, yeah, Max isn't feeling very well," Kenny added.  
  
"Do you want some pancakes?" Tyson asked, sitting at the table hungrily ready for breakfast.  
  
"Not really," he said wearily. He smiled weakly.  
  
"Ya sure? Hilary and Rei worked real hard on them!" Tyson smiled, but was worried.  
  
"Yeah. Thanks anyway," he said.  
  
"You should get back to bed," I suggested. He nodded and slowly walked back to his cabin.  
  
"Poor Maxie," Tyson said, and we nodded.  
  
"The Bladebreakers seem to be getting sick a lot," I commented.  
  
"Yes, Rei, you're very observant," Kenny said, starting a lecture. "I believe this is because your immune systems are down from exhaustion, making you vulnerable to disease. Also, you've been exposed to extremities that your bodies are not necessarily capable of handling while functioning normally."  
  
We stared at him blankly. "So basically you're right, Rei," Kenny sighed. He saw the lights inside our heads turn on as we understood.  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
"Breakfast is ready!" Hilary said, putting large stacks of pancakes on everyone's plate, except Max's, of course.  
  
We started ravenously devouring the fluffy pancakes, thoroughly enjoying the first decent meal we'd had for a LONG time. "Hey Kai, don't you want to eat?" Tyson said although it was hard to make out as his mouth was stuffed with food.  
  
"Thanks anyway," he said, shoving his untouched plate towards Tyson.  
  
"You sure?" Tyson said happily, grinning at the extra mound of pancakes. Kai gave a swift nod and walked out of the room. My eyes followed him until the door closed behind him.  
  
"What's up with him?" Kenny asked. Tyson, Hilary and I all exchanged glances and I could see we all agreed it was better we didn't worry Kenny with any more; he was already stressed out as it was.  
  
"He's probably just not hungry," I said. I was hungry myself, though, so that might not cut it. The others didn't seem to think so either.  
  
"Yeah, he probably lost his appetite watching Tyson eat," Hilary joked and we all started laughing, although I noticed the urgency in her voice.  
  
Tyson made a face at her, but continued to shovel forkfuls into his mouth at an alarming rate.  
  
"Well, I've gotta go and work on that communication box," Kenny said, leaving his empty plate. As soon as he had left the cabin, we all let out a huge sigh of relief.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
Kai didn't feel like eating. He didn't think it would stay down, as the recurring memory came back once again, the one Hilary had seen in his sleep. He hoped she hadn't seen too much. he couldn't explain, even to them, his best friends.  
  
He realised that Hilary probably had talked to Tyson and Rei about it; they had been up late together. They, in turn, probably had told Hilary about what Tyson had seen. 'Great,' he thought sarcastically. They were better off not knowing anything.  
  
"YOU GUYS!! COME HERE!!" Kenny's shrill voice rang out. They came running to the captain's cabin and stood around the flickering screen.  
  
"I'm so sorry about everything that has happened. Don't you worry," Mr. Dickenson's familiar voice came. "The authorities have sent this ship to take you home. I will explain more when-"  
  
His voice was cut off, and the screen went dead. It then flickered back on, but it was a completely different person.  
  
"I want your bit-beasts. Surrender, or we will have to take drastic measures." They recognised the voice to be that of the scientist that was in control of their experiment.  
  
"No way, freak show," Tyson shouted.  
  
"Well then, let's see how you do with THIS." There was an evil laugh, and the screen flickered off. With that the boat turned so sharply around it literally sending them flying.  
  
^^^^^  
  
END OF CHAPTER!! Review please!  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	9. Danger

Thanks for the reviews! This chapter is a little violent.  
  
I own nothing except for my story. R+R!  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 9: Danger  
  
The ship skimmed through the water fast as light. If the Bladebreakers had dared to step out of the cabin, they would have been thrown from the ship by the sheer velocity. Instead, they lay dazed or unconscious from the unexpected sharp turn that had thrown them against the walls of the cabin.  
  
When Kai opened his eyes, everything was blurry. The blow to the head from the speeding ship had caused him to nearly go unconscious. Holding his throbbing head, he waited nearly a half-hour until he could stand again. As the view became clearer, he could see them going faster than he ever thought a ship could go. A sudden jerk and they would be thrown through the glass in front, shattering it into billions of shards.  
  
He sat with his eyes closed against the wall, waiting for the pain to subdue. He put his hand in his pocket and felt Dranzer, safe and sound. Relief washed through him; Dranzer was a part of him and gave him the only security he'd ever had. He was lost without it.  
  
He got up again after a while, shaking off the feeling he had felt so many times when he was younger. The very thought of the dungeons in Balkov Abbey sent a sensation of fear through him. He had felt fear when he was literally thrown into the cells; locked away, a prisoner to his own grandfather. He used to be scared to death of him. Now he felt anger and hate towards him.  
  
'Fear is the path to the dark side,' Kai said to himself. 'Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering,' Kai laughed harshly at how accurately this described his past.  
  
He stood up and saw his friends laying still, unconscious. A faint sound diverted his attention to the communication panel. Kai walked over and saw Mr. Dickenson's worried face.  
  
"Kai," Mr. Dickenson's worried voice came. "I think it's only fair that the Bladebreakers get an explanation for everything that is going on. I'm sorry, I don't have much time, so please tell the others. First of all, the scientist that has been conducting these so-called experiments, he was working for the BBA. The tasks were meant to help improve your teamwork and friendship. We had no idea what he had been doing, how harsh he had been on you! Oh, by the way, did you get the food I sent on the ship?"  
  
Kai nodded, and waited for the old man to continue. "Good, good. Anyway, we never meant for it to be this way, we were under the impression everything was fine and you were well looked after. We have reason to believe he was after your bit-beasts. He had seen the power and potential of the sacred spirits, slowly becoming obsessed. This caused him to do things such as drive you to starvation and so forth. We believe his obsession caused his conscience and awareness to diminish."  
  
Kai confirmed this with a slight nod. "When we finally saw how he was treating you, we immediately sent this ship to your rescue, and dismissed him from the BBA. However, he has just recently hacked into our system and changed the co-ordinates for the ship. We think he is now continuing his pursuit outside of the BBA, now without rules, which will make him even more ruthless. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything until we find him. We are searching as I speak, but we have reason to believe he has fled the country. He will now have nothing to stop him, including sanity, making him more dangerous than ever. Again, I'm ever so sorry this ever happened," the old man said, sweat beaded on his forehead. He gave an audible sigh. "I must go now. Good luck!" he said, sadly. And with that, the transmission ended.  
  
Kai leaned against a wall, deep in thought about everything Mr. Dickenson had just told him. He was interrupted by the moans from his friends, now rousing. "Ow. my head." Tyson rubbed the back of his head gingerly.  
  
When Kai was assured everyone was conscious and awake, he explained everything exactly as Mr. Dickenson had. When he had finished, everyone was silent.  
  
"Wow, that's more than I've ever heard you say at once, Kai," Tyson joked, finally breaking the silence.  
  
"So, you're saying it's gonna get worse," Rei sighed. Kenny frowned and nodded.  
  
"How can it? I mean, I don't think he can make it worse without killing us altogether," Hilary said, dejectedly.  
  
"Hey, cut it out!" Tyson snapped. He saw their surprised faces at the sudden outburst. "Sorry, it's just that complaining's only gonna make it worse! We can't let em get to us!"  
  
"Tyson's right," Kai agreed. "We can take whatever they throw at us head on."  
  
"Even. this.?" Kenny stammered, revealing sparks flying from the communication box. Suddenly, the sparks caught fire, causing the ship to rapidly burn.  
  
"Shoot," Tyson said. "What do we do?"  
  
"Waddya think, Tyson? We gotta abandon ship!" Kenny cried.  
  
"Aren't there any life boats or anything on this thing?" Hilary asked, frantically.  
  
"Already checked, there's none. No lifeboats, life preservers, life jackets." Kenny was near tears now.  
  
"We gotta move before we're trapped," Kai harshly commanded, kicking open the door and ran out, followed closely by the rest. With that he jumped the rail and dove into the water below.  
  
The rest of the Bladebreakers looked nervously at each other. "I'll go next," Rei offered, seeing that nobody else was volunteering. He stepped forward and took a deep breath, then plunged into the sea.  
  
"We have to move fast!" Max said. "Come on, let's go before it's too late." With that, he jumped off the railing into the water.  
  
"Kenny, you're turn," Hilary pushed. Kenny looked more scared than ever now.  
  
"I. can't really. swim." he choked. Hilary and Tyson exchanged nervous glances.  
  
"Don't worry, Kenny. it'll be okay," Hilary said, trying to calm her nervous friend down.  
  
"Yeah, and anyway, it's better than on a burning ship," Tyson said, pointing to the threatening flames that were dangerously close; they could feel the heat of the fire licking their faces. Kenny gave a scared whimper, then jumped into the deep sea.  
  
"Come on, let's go," Hilary said to Tyson. The fire was too close now; they would have to jump immediately. They both closed their eyes shut tightly then dove neatly into the water together.  
  
The icy salt water hit with tremendous impact. Falling deeper and deeper towards the unseen floor they drifted, then struggled to reach the surface and breathe again. When they finally reached the air they needed, they gasped and choked on the salt water swallowed. They then swam as fast as they could away, just in time to see the flaming ship explode, sending burning hot splinters everywhere.  
  
They would have screamed, or cried out but all that could escape their lips were sharp gasps as they struggled to stay above the freezing water that contrasted with the flaming ship pieces in their terrified faces.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
We scrambled onto the largest remainder of the burnt ship we could find. It was nothing compared to the giant luxury ship it had been just moments ago, but we could all fit onto it. It was amazing we could even find this one scrap; the ship had blasted to smithereens. Probably from some sort of flammable and explosive stuff onboard.  
  
Coughing, choking and shivering with fear we sat aboard the makeshift lifeboat. Kai had remained calm throughout, although it must have had some impact that he didn't show. He was like that.  
  
Tyson, Max and I just stared ahead in shock and despair. Everything that had just happened was still a blur - I guess my mind refused to believe it. From the expressions on Tyson and Max's faces, they felt the same way. Apart from the hoarse coughs and heavy breathing, everyone was silent.  
  
I could see tears streaming down Kenny's face as he shuddered and sobbed with the overwhelming stress and despair.  
  
Hilary clung onto Tyson tightly, frightened emotionally scarred from the event. Tyson didn't even respond, and held her in an empty embrace although his mind was elsewhere. Ha, it must have been - Tyson's mind was ALWAYS on Hilary.  
  
We sat on our miserable excuse for a lifeboat for what seemed like eternity, staring as the remnants of our ship sank and drifted away. None of us spoke, until now. "Look over there," Kai gestured towards a boat coming our way.  
  
We all turned and waved like maniacs to the boat, although we were pretty sure they saw us. It was a large ship. The driver stopped in front of us, allowing us to board the ship.  
  
I saw a screen with that all-too-familiar shadowed figure. Now we all let out moans of annoyance and frustration. Evil laughs erupted from the screen. Yeah, he went insane alright. His eyes had that crazed possessed look that we knew all too well.  
  
"Dude, doesn't that only happen with cyber bit-beasts?" Tyson whispered.  
  
"Well, apparently not." I whispered back.  
  
"Good morning, Bladebreakers. I hope you had a good trip." he mocked, laughing harshly. His cold tone and icy laugh made me shiver. "Well I have a proposal for you."  
  
"What do you want," Tyson spat.  
  
He merely laughed cruelly again. "Anxious, are we?" his devious mind enjoyed toying with us. "Here's your offer." With that, a creepy looking kid made his entrance. He looked like he had been raised in the Abbey; he was silent and the only thing we could see was a dead look in his eyes, which were shadowed by his cloak. We could sense he had no mercy or guilt in him whatsoever.  
  
The scientist spoke again. "This is your opponent. If you lose." With this the driver of the boat grabbed Kenny in a headlock and pointed a gun to his head. I think Kenny fainted from fear and terror.  
  
"If you win, he goes home safely. You have five minutes to decide who will battle for your friend's life." He laughed cruelly; he was completely crazy.  
  
We just stared at each other in shock and fear. None of us wanted to battle; if we lost we would never forgive ourselves. Then again, if we didn't battle, he would die.  
  
"I think Tyson should do it," Hilary stammered. I nodded; Tyson could deal with stress. If anyone could do it, it was Tyson.  
  
"Yeah, Tyson," Max smiled encouragingly. "I think you're our best chance."  
  
"You can do this, Tyson!" I smiled, although I was uneasy inside.  
  
"What do you think, Tyson?" Kai asked, seeing Tyson's nervous face.  
  
"I. I can do this!" Tyson shouted, his confidence returning.  
  
"Be careful, Tyson!" Hilary cried out as Tyson walked up to the beydish to face this new opponent. Kenny's life was at stake.  
  
"There's no way I'm losing," Tyson said confidently. "Don't you worry, Kenny, I'll beat this clown. You're going down!" Tyson smirked at his opponent, ready to counter his comeback. He remained silent. Tyson cocked an eyebrow at the silent blader, surprised at the silence. Awkward silence. "Uh. are you ready to be beaten?" Tyson whipped out his launcher. The blader just drew out his launcher, silently; his expression remained the same.  
  
"Man, that guy keeps a straighter face than Kai!" Max whispered.  
  
"Three, two, one. LET IT RIP!" Tyson yelled. He felt a little embarrassed. usually the opponent shouted it too, but this one just launched it, silent as ever. He got into the intense battle, against his opponent's shadowy blade.  
  
"So who are you, anyway?" Tyson asked as the beyblades sparked as they clashed. The blader didn't make any effort to show that he had heard. "I asked who are you," Tyson said, louder this time. The blader showed nothing. "Aargh, whatever. Dragoon, attack!"  
  
Dragoon charged at the dark beyblade, sending it flying back. In return, the beyblade smashed into Dragoon, sending Dragoon back a fair distance back. The blades threw attack after attack at each other.  
  
"Wow, it's a pretty intense fight there," Hilary commented. "GO, TYSON!" she cheered. "Huh? What's happening?" she watched as the mysterious blade suddenly took lead of the fight.  
  
"Come on Dragoon!" Tyson commanded the beyblade to pursue the dark one. The shadowed blade showed extreme control, knowing exactly where it was going. "Follow it!" The grey blade followed, closely on its tail.  
  
The opponent's eyes glinted for a split second, and his beyblade sped up, flying through the air in my direction; Dragoon following close behind. I shielded my face with my arm. The dark beyblade turned swiftly in the air, but Dragoon couldn't dodge quickly enough. I suddenly felt searing pain as the sharp metal tore through my left arm. I cried out in pain as I fell to the ground, my own blood spilling onto the wooden floor of the ship. I closed my eyes as I felt a rush of pain flood through me, taking me over.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
"REI!" Max, Hilary and Kai ran over to their fallen friend, crimson flooding onto the floor where he lay. Tyson stared in shock as he realised what his own beyblade had just done.  
  
"No," Tyson whispered. He looked at his opponent with a fierce glare, to see that his opponent had a smirk on his face. "You freak!" he shouted, as he looked over at his hurt friend. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.  
  
Tyson's opponent laughed. A cruel, maniacal laugh filled the air. Tyson felt rage surging inside him, and finally released it. "You'll pay! DRAGOON ATTACK!" Tyson screamed with all his fury. Dragoon charged at the blade with all of Tyson's anger. It slammed into the blade and sent it flying into a glass panel of the boat. The glass shattered and tiny glass shards flew everywhere, along with pieces of the destroyed beyblade.  
  
The mysterious blader just walked into the shadows, not uttering a single word. Tyson returned Dragoon to his hand and stared at the deep red colour that now covered it.  
  
^^^^^  
  
End of chapter! Sorry it's short. Review PLEASE!! It keeps me going!  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	10. Exhaustion

Thanks for the reviews! Sorry if the last chapter was a little short. BTW I try to make all characters have important parts in this story!  
  
And yes suggestions are always welcome! Of course I might not use all of them, but yeah I'd like to know your ideas! I try to keep the characters as close as I can to how they really are.  
  
I own nothing except for my story. R+R!  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 10: Exhaustion  
  
Tyson's stomach churned as he stared at the fresh blood upon his beyblade. He had won his battle, and now Kenny would be free to go. But Rei. 'If only I had trained harder... or let someone else do it! Kai would never have fallen into that obvious trap. I should have seen it coming...' Tyson's thoughts kept coming as he stared at Dragoon.  
  
"Quick, we need something to bandage the wound," Kai commanded. He frowned at the immense amount of blood pouring from his friend's arm; Rei was getting weak from blood loss. Max looked queasy at the sight, and Hilary stared in horror.  
  
"Kenny's tie!" Tyson shouted. The others stared at him weirdly, then walked over to Kenny. Kenny had been released from the man's firm grip, only to faint at the highly disturbing display of blood.  
  
Max carefully undid Kenny's green tie from his neck, then threw it over to Kai. Max knew Kai would be the only one that had the guts to handle the blood.  
  
Rei winced in pain and gritted his teeth as Kai bandaged his wounded arm. One amber eye opened, showing extreme pain.  
  
Rei slowly got to his knees; his left arm now bandaged neatly with Kenny's tie. "Over. there." he gestured, his voice full of pain. The Bladebreakers turned to see the scientist on the screen.  
  
"You sick-minded freak!" Tyson yelled. "That was deliberate!"  
  
"Of course it was, Tyson," his icy voice laughed. "Now you see just how dangerous I can be and how far I'm willing to go. I suggest you surrender your bit-beasts now."  
  
"No way," Tyson glared. "Now we had a deal."  
  
"Yes, yes. As promised, your little friend here gets to go home. He is of no importance, anyway."  
  
"That's not true," Max cried out. "He's a part of our team!"  
  
"Shut up, Maxie," Tyson nudged. "He better get home safely, it was a deal!"  
  
"Yes, of course. I do keep promises, young one. And I promise that you WILL surrender your bit-beasts soon enough," he laughed cruelly.  
  
"As if," Hilary retorted. "We're not giving up without a fight!"  
  
"So be it," he said with a smirk. That smirk sent shivers through them. "I expected such. Good luck," he said with a devilish look. "You'll need it," he whispered, and the connection was lost. As the screen went blank, the ship stopped. They had been so absorbed in the battle they hadn't realised the ship had been bringing them further out to sea.  
  
Before they knew it, Tyson, Max, Rei, Kai and Hilary were thrown overboard into the deep sea. Being caught off guard, they continued to fall under the salty waves. Struggling and thrashing about, they made their way back up to the surface. Coughing and spluttering up water, they finally caught their breath, only to see the ship driving away.  
  
"Don't worry! Help is on its way." Kenny's barely audible voice trailed off in the distance as the ship disappeared in the horizon.  
  
"Rei!" Kai exclaimed, as he saw Rei slip under the waves. He caught him just before he disappeared out of sight. Rei coughed violently, after taking in water.  
  
"I'm sorry... but I just don't think I can swim right now," Rei said feebly, his voice slightly hoarse. Kai could feel him breathing shakily.  
  
"No, you can't," Kai agreed, mounting him on his own back. "There's land up ahead," he started to swim towards a dim, faint speck way in the distance. The others followed his lead. 'Hang in there, Rei,' Kai thought to himself.  
  
Determined, the Bladebreakers swam steadily towards the almost unreachable goal of land. Kai had powerful, quick strokes, even while supporting Rei. He was determined to make it. Tyson and Max swam as if in a race, in an attempt to have as much fun as drowning could be. "Don't tire yourselves out, guys," Hilary called. She had quick, light strokes and swam with ease. She was really good, which surprised the guys. Not that they hadn't known she could swim, but her skill was incredible.  
  
Rei felt sort of badly as he was dragging Kai down. It wasn't his fault, of course, but all the same he could feel Kai's breathing become heavy and his body struggling to support the weight, and Rei couldn't do anything. Glancing at his arm bandaged with Kenny's now soaked tie, he wondered if that was the last they would ever see of Kenny. Rei quickly dropped the thought; he was sure that they would be reunited.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Kenny's POV)  
  
I must have fallen asleep. I have no idea how long it took, but I was stuffed in a closet for at least a few hours, until we reached home. They dropped me off at the harbour, and I ran home. First to eat a decent meal, then get a new tie...  
  
"KENNY!" my mom screamed and ran towards me and nearly suffocated me in a hug. "Oh my goodness. what ever happened to you?"  
  
"Long story mom, I'll explain later," I said, and ran up to my room.  
  
"Okay, I'll inform the police that you're safe," I heard her say.  
  
As I put on another green tie, there was a painful reminder that my friends were still out there, and Rei was injured badly. I had only seen a glimpse, but that was enough. He wouldn't be able to swim... I panicked for them. It was highly unlikely that they could reach land, and there was no way they could swim with Rei injured!  
  
I sat down on my bed, only to be interrupted by my mother. "Kenny, dear, I know you're tired but there's something here for you," she called. I sighed and ran downstairs to see a package - for me. I hastily opened it and saw... DIZZI! I opened the lid of my beloved laptop and saw she was working perfectly! I shouted for joy, but stopped as everyone stared at me.  
  
"Glad you're happy to see me, chief," Dizzi's digital voice came. How I had missed it!  
  
"We gotta go to Mr. Dickenson's office now!" I said, and ran out the door with my laptop under my arm once again.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
The land was close, but seemed to be getting further away as the Bladebreakers rapidly tired out. "We've been swimming for over half an hour," Tyson said between sharp breaths.  
  
"Yeah," Max managed to say, gasping for air. He was glad he had swum a lot when he was younger; he would have drowned long ago. "Hey, Hilary, you're really good at swimming!"  
  
"Thanks, Max! Yeah, I like to swim. Well, not usually in this type of situation, mind you," she smiled grimly as she continued to tear through the waves. "But you guys are doing awesome!" Despite her exhaustion and worry, Hilary tried to be as cheerful as possible.  
  
"I sure hope so," Tyson muttered worriedly, glancing nervously at Kai. He couldn't believe Kai could even swim while supporting Rei, let alone for this long. He would offer to support Rei for a bit, but he knew for a fact that he wouldn't be able to, despite his best efforts. He could barely keep swimming on his own!  
  
Rei clung on as best he could, but it was excruciatingly painful. He slowly opened his amber eyes and fixed his gaze upon his wounded arm. The salt water stung Rei's wound and he could barely resist crying out in pain. The deep forest green tie was soaked through and stained with a deep red, which continued to flow through the open wound. It was definitely a bad sign; Rei continued to lose blood rapidly, as he had been for over half an hour. He felt extremely dizzy and light headed, just barely staying conscious by the waves of pain and his own will.  
  
Kai could feel his body giving way to exhaustion. His breaths were sharp and shallow, and it was extremely difficult to even breathe. Even though powerful, Rei's full weight was intense on Kai's slim body and keeping up to his friends was almost more than he could bear. It also didn't help that he hadn't had anything to eat, and hadn't slept at all that night. The temptation to just fall and let the water overcome him was intense.  
  
'Remember, Kai. Love, trust, honesty. they mean nothing. The truly powerful work alone,' Voltaire's voice echoed inside Kai's mind. 'Friends are for the weak. They will only bring you down.'  
  
'You're wrong,' Kai said viciously in his mind. 'And I'm going to prove it.'  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kenny raced through the familiar BBA building in search of Mr. Dickenson. He almost wished that it wasn't so familiar, since many of the times he had been there was on account of bad news. "Mr. Dickenson!" He shouted as he saw the stout man around the corner.  
  
"Kenny! Oh, am I ever glad to see you," he said from behind his moustache, and they started to walk into a room. "Come, sit down," he said, gesturing towards a green couch. It would be a long talk.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Collapsing as soon as they reached the sand, the Bladebreakers had made it to land. They all fell face first into the welcoming, wet sand licked by the shallow waves of the ocean; they had never been so glad to see land. They coughed up water and took deep breaths of the air that now came so easily.  
  
Max smiled, happy for life that had been so close to slipping away. The smile quickly faded as he turned to see Rei, unconscious on the sand, face contorted with pain. Kai lay seemingly asleep beside him, although he looked calm and peaceful; he had finally given in to exhaustion. His breathing was still heavy and he looked completely worn out. 'Wow, he really is a great friend,' Max thought, in awe of Kai's determination and strength.  
  
Tyson and Hilary lay beside him in the sand. They were both conscious and taking in deep breaths, to both get much needed oxygen and to calm themselves. "Well, we made it," Max sighed, a smile once again on his face.  
  
"Yeah," they said simultaneously, and tried to smile although completely drained of energy.  
  
"Oh my gosh Rei!" Hilary cried out, suddenly realising the state their friend was in and running to his side. She carefully undid Kenny's scarily blood stained tie from Rei's arm, and nearly fainted at the sight. A dangerously deep gash ran down his arm, and was STILL bleeding, although slightly. Rei was dangerously pale, contrasting sharply with his raven locks. His face was drained of all colour and health.  
  
"Tyson! Go clean this," Hilary commanded weakly, handing him the tie. She wondered if Tyson noticed her hands trembling as she passed it to him.  
  
"Sure thing," he said quietly, heading back to the water.  
  
"Max, help me drag these two further up the beach. Carefully!" Hilary said, and Max nodded. They started to slowly pull their friends away from the water they had definitely seen too much of for that day. "Uh. Tyson?" Hilary snapped him back to reality as he had been staring out into the ocean for quite some time now.  
  
"Oh, here, Hil. It's not gonna." Tyson started, but didn't have to finish as he handed Hilary the stained tie.  
  
"Yeah. Give me a hand, will you?" Hilary asked the two boys. "I need to tie up Rei's arm. no pun intended," she added with a slight laugh, as she saw Tyson and Max crack a smile.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"That's outrageous!" Mr. Dickenson's voice was heard from outside the room.  
  
"It's true, sir," Kenny assured. "Kai was deadly ill after falling through the ice. We weren't sure he would make it, let alone recover fully."  
  
"I can't believe that was allowed to happen. under my watch, too. I had been informed that he was ill, although a few days later. I was under the assumption that he had a common cold, or less!" Stanley Dickenson shook his head with grief and disappointment. "I had a helicopter sent just in case with a complete care package, although I was SURE nothing would happen."  
  
"What? A helicopter? A complete care package?" Kenny was confused. "We only received a blanket, a small tent, a small dose of medicine and meagre amounts of food..."  
  
Mr. Dickenson frowned. "You mean the stations weren't set up?"  
  
"Stations? Well, there was a small amount of food left for us every few days."  
  
"Every few days?" Mr. Dickenson looked aghast. "I had arranged so that stations were placed for every few hours of traveling. They would have plenty of good food and drink, large tents with sleeping bags and pillows, hygienic needs satisfied and of course a phone and first aid kit in case of emergency. What on Earth happened?"  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Tyson?" Hilary approached the blader, his navy hair rustling in the cool air of night. She had been just about to drift off to sleep as the others had when she noticed him standing there. He was staring off into the horizon, as he had quite often lately.  
  
"Oh, hey, Hilary." He didn't face her, his gaze remaining on the deep sky reflecting and sparkling in the ripples of the sea.  
  
"Tyson, look at me when I'm speaking to you," her voice was firm yet gentle at the same time. She put her hands softly on his shoulders as he broke his stare from the landscape. "It's not your fault. None of this is." Her voice had lost its usual sharp, annoyed tone.  
  
Tyson shook his head. "But it is my fault. just look at Rei!" They both turned to see Rei's pale form shaking slightly, his face showing obvious pain. "It was MY beyblade that did that to him."  
  
"Look, Tyson," Hilary stared straight into Tyson's deep brown eyes. "It was unavoidable. And, really, it's already happened, you can't change the past. I know Rei doesn't blame you, and doesn't want you to be upset, so don't be. You fought and won, saving Kenny's life! You should be proud of yourself. And even if you aren't. I'm proud of you, Tyson." Hilary smiled, and blushed slightly as Tyson pulled her into a hug. She put her arms around his and returned the favour.  
  
"Thanks, Hil," he said, slowly pulling out of the embrace. He gave her a sincere smile, which she hadn't seen for a long time.  
  
The two headed off to where the others were sleeping. They lay down and fell asleep with ease, smiling with the comforting warmth of the lasting hug.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Max woke up to the blazing sun overhead. He groaned and forced himself up, as he knew it was already the afternoon. Laughing softly, he realised he had way overslept. He had fallen asleep before nightfall, and had woken in the afternoon!  
  
He looked over at his sleeping friends. Kai and Rei had been sleeping a whole day, now. Tyson and Hilary were deeply asleep, and looked as if they could sleep another day; Tyson was snoring loudly, and Hilary looked almost on a level of unconsciousness.  
  
Max suddenly remembered the night before he had heard voices, extremely late at night. Kai, Rei, Tyson and Hilary's voices! No wonder they were so exhausted; they hadn't slept at all the night before! He wondered how they had managed to swim at all, and why hadn't they slept? 'Guess I'll ask them when they wake. Which'll be quite some time,' he thought to himself.  
  
Since his friends wouldn't be up for a long time, Max figured he would take a walk around the island. Yes, they were stranded on another island. As he walked along the shore, he noticed that there were steep cliffs of rock, preventing him from walking anywhere but the shore. In fact, the whole island seemed to be covered by a mountain. Not so steep that it was miles high, but steep enough to prevent them from seeing or climbing over.  
  
After about an hour of walking aimlessly along the sandy shore, he noticed a small entrance to a cave in the rock. Max put his hand to his forehead. "Great. A maze," he said out loud. His voice sounded awkward amongst the silence. Max sighed, and started to sprint back to where his friends were.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hey, Kai, wake up!" Kai's body felt like lead and he felt he couldn't open his eyes. "Kai!" Exhausted, his grey eyes opened, and he forced himself to sit up. He ached all over; any movement was painful.  
  
"What is it, Max," Kai asked wearily. Kai's voice never showed any trace of emotion! Max knew he must be extremely exhausted.  
  
"Uh, sorry, Kai," Max apologised. He really felt bad for waking him. "I just wanted to let you know I explored this island a bit. and found out that it's all one gigantic maze!"  
  
Kai looked across the island and narrowed his eyes as he it was true. Tyson and Hilary were already sitting up and had already been told. They looked completely drained as well. Kai cast a glance at Rei, who was still in a fitful sleep. Sweat beaded on his ghastly pale face.  
  
He walked over to his dormant friend. "Rei," he said, his voice firm yet showed concern. The others came quickly. Kai noticed Tyson was walking with his head down, his hair shadowing his eyes.  
  
"Oh, Rei." Hilary whispered, placing a gentle hand on his face and trembling slightly at the touch.  
  
Rei responded with an unexpected moan, and slowly opened his deep amber eyes. Hilary and Max gently helped him to sit up. He felt completely dizzy and disoriented, and flooded with pain. "Hey. thanks so much," he said, eyes flickering over to Kai.  
  
"How are you doing, Rei?" Tyson asked, anxiously.  
  
"I'm okay," Rei said instinctively, getting doubtful looks, as he obviously was not. "I'm not feeling great, but, yeah I'm fine." A slight, reassuring smile appeared on his pale, yet fevered face.  
  
Hilary placed her hand gently on his face again. "Are you sure?" she asked, frowning as she felt his clammy skin.  
  
He gave a curt nod and put his good hand to the ground to lift himself up. He stood up and almost collapsed with dizziness, gaining panicked expressions from his friends. "Come on, let's go," he beckoned to his friends and started to walk towards the cave.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Kai went a whole week without eating? Oh my goodness." a genuinely aghast Mr. Dickenson gripped the armrests of his chair tightly. His face had turned pale, as Kenny continued to share events that had happened. "Speaking of which, would you like more to eat? More to drink?"  
  
"Er. it's okay," Kenny said, glancing at the pile of candy wrappers and empty bottles beside him. "But yeah, and Hilary too went without food for quite a few days!"  
  
"Oh my! That's awful!" Mr. Dickenson sighed.  
  
"Well, actually we all went for long periods without food. Less than once a day," Kenny mentioned.  
  
Mr. Dickenson raised his eyebrows in shock. He was a large man himself, and couldn't help but wonder how they managed to survive. "Here," he said, absentmindedly throwing another bag of chips at Kenny. He gripped the armrests even tighter until his hands were nearly white and continued to stare straight ahead. "Oh, I hope they're okay."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"How much further? We've been walking for like two hours!" Tyson complained.  
  
"Like I said, Tyson, it's right around here. It took me about an hour to get there, and we've. taken it a bit slower," Max said carefully.  
  
"Yeah, I know. Sorry," Tyson glanced over at Rei. He was really pale and looked sick. They had been walking slowly, since Rei was close to collapsing. A pained expression remained on his face. 'Hang in there, buddy,' he said in his mind.  
  
"We need food. Our energy is dying," Hilary said. "After all the stuff we've been through since those pancakes yesterday. it's a good thing we all had some!"  
  
"Yeah!" Tyson smiled. "Oh, wait. Max, you didn't have any, did you," Tyson looked worried.  
  
"Uh, no," Max said. "But-"  
  
"And neither did you, Kai! Oh man. and I thought I had it bad!" Tyson laughed, but was really concerned.  
  
"Hey, you okay?" Max suddenly asked Rei. He had suddenly stopped.  
  
"Have been better," Rei said, through gritting his teeth. His arm was now throbbing with pain and it took all he had to keep from crying out. He fell to his knees, clutching his wounded arm.  
  
The others stopped now, and felt helpless as they watched their friend suffer. "I'm really sorry-" Tyson started.  
  
"The entrance to the cave is over there," Kai suddenly said.  
  
Rei struggled to his feet and winced in pain. "Let's go," he said with a determined tone. The teens stepped into the cave together and were surrounded by darkness.  
  
^^^^^  
  
END OF CHAPTER!!! Review PLEASE!!!  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	11. Past Relived

Thank you so much for the reviews and suggestions. I'm glad you like my fic!  
  
Sara: I actually had the exact same ideas! I was originally going to have them use Hilary's shirt instead of Kenny's tie, but I figured that they would want a reminder of Kenny. And in this chapter, I was going to... well you'll find out. But thank you so much for the suggestions!  
  
Jeweljade: they had to go into the cave because they need food! Which is really infrequent and far apart, so basically if they don't move they die. Good motivation?  
  


* * *

  
Don't own anything.  
  


* * *

  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 11: Past Relived  
  
They were engulfed in darkness as soon as they stepped into the cave. Lost in the shadows as soon as they entered, there was no going back.  
  
"Uh, guys, where'd the entrance go?" Max asked, worriedly.  
  
"That's strange," Hilary remarked. "The light just completely vanished!"  
  
Tyson turned around and put his hand where empty space had been, to find solid rock. "It's... rock?"  
  
"There's no escape. Don't bother," Kai said coolly. The others stared in horror at the direction the voice had come from. They knew he was right.  
  
"We'll have to stick together," Rei's voice was heard. "Always follow a voice. It's real easy to get lost this way."  
  
"Hey, remember when we went into that cave on the island?" Tyson said excitedly. "We could play that game!"  
  
"Tyson, you suck at that game," Max laughed.  
  
"...Hey!"  
  
"It's true," Rei laughed.  
  
Tyson gave the two a pout, although they couldn't see. "Okay, okay. Let's do something else."  
  
"Truth or dare!" Max said happily.  
  
"Yeah right, I'm so not playing that lame game," Tyson said.  
  
"I dare you to play!" The others sweat-dropped.  
  
"Fine!" Tyson said, never one to back out of a challenge.  
  
Max laughed, knowing it would work. "Truth or dare?"  
  
"Dare! Come on, Max, what did you think?"  
  
"Okay... I dare you to pick truth next time!" Groan.  
  
"Right... Hilary, truth or dare?" Tyson said enthusiastically.  
  
"Uh... truth?"  
  
"Okay... who do you like?"  
  
Hilary's face went red. Luckily for her, the others couldn't see. She was an honest person and wasn't afraid of them knowing anything... except the one dreaded question. "I'm not saying," she managed to say.  
  
"So you pass?"  
  
"Yes," she said, embarrassment replaced quickly with annoyance.  
  
"Ha, chicken. I get to ask again! So, Kai! Truth or dare?" Dead silence. "Oh, right, I forgot. You're too good to play truth or dare with us. You're SO much more mature and all..."  
  
"Tyson, if I recall, YOU were the one that didn't want to play 'that lame game'," Kai said icily.  
  
Max, Hilary and Rei started to snicker as Tyson was at loss for a comeback.  
  
Rei stopped laughing abruptly and let out a cry of anguish as a fresh wave of pain overcame him. Stabbing pains shot through his arm with a deep gash that almost went to the bone. His breathing became heavy and harsh.  
  
"Rei? Are you okay?" Hilary asked, hearing him cry out.  
  
"I'm... I'm okay," Rei said between gasps. "Let's keep going."  
  
"But Rei, you're hurt!" Hilary exclaimed. "Stop and rest a moment!"  
  
"I said we're moving on," Rei said harshly. Hilary was silent.  
  
"Dude, she's just looking out for you," Max said. He was shocked at Rei's tone. "No need to snap at her!"  
  
"I... I'm sorry," he said, sincerely.  
  
"It's okay. Now how about we take a short break?" Hilary said.  
  
"No." Rei was stubborn. "The longer we stay here the worse it'll get."  
  
Hilary sighed. "Okay, but you tell us if you need to take a break!"  
  
"Sure," he said, smiling through his pain. He really had great friends.  
  


* * *

  
"It's STILL not working!" Kenny cried, frustrated.  
  
"Chill, chief. So the bit-beast-tracking device isn't working. We'll find a way, don'tcha trust me?" Dizzi's voice came.  
  
"Of course, Dizzi. It's just... AARGH!" he started to pull his hair out nervously.  
  
"Get some shut-eye, chief. You need your rest. Even I need rest; shut me down, will ya? Remember, you're supposed to go back to the BBA first thing tomorrow morning to finish explaining everything to Mr. Dickenson."  
  
"Yeah," he sighed, and collapsed into his bed. 'Don't worry, guys. You can count on me.'  
  


* * *

  
They had been walking in total darkness for quite some time. Time seems to be lost without daylight. At some point, they drifted off in the darkness, losing grip of consciousness. A maniacal laugh echoed in their minds, and a blinding light flashed.  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
It was like waking up and finding myself somewhere completely different. I felt a little dazed and confused. "Where are we?" Tyson wondered aloud. As the picture came into focus, I felt cold stone and saw prison cells. Shivers ran through me as realisation struck me: we were in the abbey.  
  
"Kai, isn't this..." Rei started to ask softly. I gave a nod, and my fists clenched. My friends had fear in their eyes, especially Tyson.  
  
"What? Where are we?" Hilary was clueless. She knew it was bad, seeing prison cells and dim lighting, and the overall chilling aura of the abbey.  
  
"This is the abbey. Where Kai was raised," Rei said quietly.  
  
I sensed someone was coming, and alerted the others. We saw none other than my grandfather walking down the stone corridor. I felt hatred surge through me, and I tensed. He was heading right for us.  
  
His strong, powerful strides continued, as we stood frozen in fear for moments. "Hide!" Tyson yelped, but there was no point.  
  
"Forget it, he can't see us nor hear us," I said, my calm voice betraying the fear and anger inside. It was a relief that he couldn't sense us, but the mere sight of him made my skin crawl.  
  
He passed right through us, as if we were ghosts. "Let's follow him," Tyson said, as the others followed his lead. Reluctantly, I came along, regretting it. I knew what was coming. My heart raced as the realisation sank in; they would find out.  
  
We followed Voltaire. I closed my eyes tightly, as I knew what would happen within minutes.  
  
"Hey Kai, What's up? You okay?" Rei asked, putting his good hand on my shoulder. Was it that obvious I was afraid? I tried as best I could to shake off any trace of fear or sadness.  
  
I sighed and opened my eyes reluctantly. "No..." I whispered. Voltaire approached the boy on his knees I remember so well. That pleading face haunting my dreams  
  


* * *

  
"Kai," his cruel voice beckoned, and my past stepped out of the shadows. There I stood, maybe five years ago.  
  
"No, I'm sorry Voltaire..." the boy stammered, tears running down his face with fear. He had good reason to be afraid.  
  
"Shut your mouth, boy," Voltaire spat. Next he spoke the words that run through my nightmares. "Kill him," he ordered me.  
  
As I thought, my friends' mouths hung open in sheer horror. "What the heck, Kai?!" Tyson exclaimed.  
  
My younger self walked forward, emotionless, to the boy. Tears streamed down his face as I approached, the dim light gleaming off the blade in my hand. I could see my friends, hands clenched into fists and face glazed over, watching.  
  
"This is what happens when you are weak," Voltaire said, enjoying his torture.  
  
"Please, Kai... don't kill me," the boy pleaded, choking with sobs.  
  
"What are you waiting for, Kai? Don't waste my time," Voltaire said. He then drew out a knife, which made my stomach twist and I felt sick. Hilary screamed. That psychopathic man of a grandfather then drew the blade to his face and blood spilled.  
  
The boy shrieked in pain, as blood mixed with tears. I could see tears flowing from Hilary's eyes. She couldn't believe what she was seeing... I felt sorry she ever had to witness it. It was my fault, after all. Max looked like he was about to be sick. "You sick-minded freak!" Tyson shouted, although he knew he couldn't hear him.  
  
Voltaire then stabbed the boy. He had skilfully done it so that he wasn't dead, but was suffering beyond imaginable. "Finish him off," he had said to me.  
  
My younger self didn't make a move. "Now, Kai." With this, he delivered a swift punch to my face. This time Max cried out. I could feel the pain, as could my friends. Voltaire continued to deliver punches and kicks to my small body.  
  
"Finish him," he commanded, after he had beaten me.  
  
"No. I won't." I stood defiantly, even though I had just been beaten up. I would never show my weakness. "Never."  
  
With that, Voltaire slit the boy's throat, and no more tears escaped the eyes that would never open again. Gasps escaped my friends' mouths. They had witnessed death.  
  
Now I would be punished severely for defying my grandfather. "Kai. How dare you defy me," Voltaire thundered, beating me even harder. I was surprised how much brute strength the old creep of a grandfather had.  
  
"I'm surprised you had the nerve to resist, young Kai," he said. A cruel laugh escaped his lips, one typical of a psychopath. "Now you'll pay," he said. His voice had become softer and more dangerous, his eyes glinting with malice. He revealed something that scared the daylight out of me. A single needle.  
  
I realised my breathing had become heavy and I was frozen with fear. Just the memory was enough to drag me down into the realm of my nightmares. I was scared, and felt sweat form on my face. My heart was pounding.  
  
I felt a hand take my own. I mentally kicked myself for letting them see I was afraid, but surprisingly it felt good. "Kai..." Hilary whispered, tears gently rolling down her pale, scared face. Her grip told me she was dead scared herself, but also that she was trying to... comfort me.  
  
Tears glistened in their eyes as they looked away from the bleeding carcass of the boy, towards me. The eyes that had just witnessed a murder turned to me full of emotion. Anger, shock, horror, sorrow, disgust... but I saw something else, a look that told me that they would always be there for me... the look of a true friend.  
  
Voltaire injected the poison into my younger self, and I could instantly feel the pain I felt all those years ago. The others could feel it too, and screamed. I would never scream; it only gave my grandfather pleasure. Pain for pleasure.  
  
Hilary's grip on my hand became intensely tight as she screamed in pain. Rei had collapsed onto the stone floor; it was too much for him. Tyson and Max both cried out, tears falling from their faces. They were struggling to keep standing as the pain increased. I, however, knew that this was a diluted version of the pain I had actually felt back then. Just a sample, a taste was enough. Even that was too much for them.  
  
I watched as my younger self started to shake in pain and collapsed to the floor. Luckily for me, I hadn't cried. If I had, I would have ended up like the boy that lay lifeless on the cold stone floor. Eventually, he stopped shaking as he lost consciousness. I watched with hatred as Voltaire emitted a cold, cruel laugh.  
  
Voltaire picked my up and literally threw my limp body against the grimy wall of a prison cell. I could hear the sickening crack as my younger self hit the stone. "That should teach you, my pathetic excuse for a grandson, to defy me," he whispered, with a harsh laugh. The evil glint in his eyes showed his lack of love.  
  
I wondered how a creep like him could ever have a family. The thought of a grandmother was strange... she must have died, or left him. Either was highly likely with Voltaire as her wife. Maybe she never even was married; I couldn't picture anyone loving the cruel freak. There was so much I didn't know.  
  
Then there was the matter of my parents... a pang of sadness came as I thought about them. I didn't know anything about them. Voltaire had never mentioned them. All I know is I will never get a chance to meet them. They're dead.  
  
A cold shiver ran through me as I thought about them. I guess it was obvious, as Hilary immediately tightened her grip. My eyes darted towards her immediately, coming back to reality. Her face showed true concern for me... it was strange. It occurred to me that maybe she actually cared for me.  
  
Tears streamed down each one of their faces. Each of the faces I recognised to be the face of a true friend. Friendship was something the Bladebreakers had taught me, a new experience. An experience that was greater than power, something that psychotic grandfather of mine does not know.  
  
"Kai, you know we'll always be here for you, no matter what. We're your friends, and you know it. That's what friendship is about," Rei said sincerely.  
  
I felt arms wrap around me, and looked down to see Max. I shifted uncomfortably, as I'd never been hugged before. A comforting smile was on his tear-stained face, and the same look was on Tyson's face. Rei had that understanding, kind look in his eyes. It was an awkward position: Max hugging me while Hilary still had my hand in a tight grip.  
  
At first, my face showed slight surprise and shock from the support. Then, everything sort of sank in, and I couldn't help but give a slight smile.  
  
(Tyson's POV)  
  
I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I had witnessed that dream from Kai's past, but it wasn't even close to what had just happened. It gave me a whole new respect for him... how anyone could live through that I shuddered to think.  
  
Well, I'm just glad that we're here for him now. Even Kai needed a friend to hold on to sometimes. Well, I'd known that all along, but now I understood. And to think I had called him all those things... *hits head* way to go, Tyson. Kai's a stronger person than anyone I know.  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
I had sensed something bad was about to happen. Kai had suddenly become scared as he realised what would happen next. It must have the same nightmare Hilary had sort of heard. However, even preparing for the worst possible, as it was Kai who seemed afraid, it was more horrid than I could ever have imagined.  
  
Tears came to my eyes as I watched it all happen, like a nightmare you can't escape from. I felt sick from all I had just seen. No wonder he didn't trust anyone; those he would have trusted either betrayed him or... died. Except for Dranzer, who's always been by his side. I was starting to finally understand  
  


* * *

  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
I had held his hand, and for once it was I helping him out, instead of vice versa like usual. Tears streamed down my face and everyone else's, but there wasn't a trace of a tear in his face. It scared me, how he had become that way. But, I could see the sadness in his eyes... he wasn't as cold- hearted as he came across.  
  
(Max's POV)  
  
I felt like screaming at Voltaire, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. I couldn't imagine what it would be like without my mom, and dad, and a whole ton of friends. And I couldn't even bear to think about what it would be like with Voltaire and Boris... he was better off alone. That's when it struck me; that was why Kai was so solitary!  
  
Anyway, I gave him a great big hug, not caring that he didn't react. He probably appreciated it deep down, I always feel better after a hug! He didn't pull away, or leave, which probably meant he accepted it.  
  
He accepted us as friends, and looking at his younger self, I realised just how far he had come. We had helped him to become more open, to trust, friendship... I gave him a smile, as did the rest of us, and I saw the slightest smile appear on his grim face.  
  


* * *

  
(Kai's POV)  
  
A blinding flash brought me away from the abbey and into the darkness. Overwhelming dizziness struck, and I felt like I was falling, like when you're in an elevator. Plunging into the unknown, never knowing what's coming.  
  
And out of the darkness came an even darker memory. I preferred shadows and nothingness to this – and I feared my friends would be exposed to even more. The outline of grandfather's mansion started to appear in the black. Panic flashed through me like streaks of lightning.  
  
"Enough..." I soon realised it was my own voice that had spoken, in desperation. My voice was cold and unnaturally clear in the silence of nothingness, but I heard the slightest waver in my voice.  
  
Then, I heard something I hadn't expected – a response. It was a deranged laugh of a madman, to be exact, that continued to grow louder until it filled my head and I couldn't escape. "So you've had enough, Kai," a cold voice finally said.  
  
I narrowed my eyes and shifted my gaze to pinpoint where the sound was coming from, although I knew it was everywhere. I recognised the voice and the laugh as that of none other than the ex-BBA scientist.  
  
"I'm disappointed in you; the high and mighty Kai has finally given in," the voice mocked. I growled under my breath.  
  
"Quit screwing with their minds," I said coldly. They had seen too much... way too much.  
  
"Oh, no, Kai. I've barely scratched the surface of your... memories," he gloated, sneering nastily at the last word.  
  
"How is that possible?" I wondered aloud.  
  
"Do you really want to know, Kai? I can do nearly anything," he gloated, typical evil madman boasting.  
  
With that, I felt flashes of pain of years of abuse, with their coinciding images. All from Boris or my own grandfather, the blows were delivered to my body, as well as their horrid faces in my mind.  
  
Punch, "worthless." Kick, "embarrassment." Slap, "pathetic." Boris abuses with no mercy whatsoever. Just like the soldiers we were trained to be. Show any sign of weakness and you just get more.  
  
Voltaire takes a small blade in his hand and the cool metal slits my skin. I try not to flinch as the knife cuts deep into my flesh. He laughs as if he enjoys it. Because, the truth is, he does. He likes the sight of my blood.  
  
Then, the flow of pain and memories stops. "That was merely 60 seconds, Kai," the cold voice echoes in my head once again. I put my hand to my face and feel the blood still running down my cheek. "Care for more?"  
  
"Never again," I hiss. I feel the blood trickle from my face like tears. "What do you want," I spat.  
  
"Your Dranzer, Kai." My face must have paled. His answer was short and simple, but it was so difficult. It was a lose-lose situation; go through the pain all over again, or lose Dranzer. Well, he proved me wrong. I would go through it all again if it meant keeping Dranzer safe.  
  
I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted. "I guess the decision should be made harder, then, Kai." An image of my friends... dead... flashed in my mind.  
  
"NO!" I shouted, and felt as if my heart was being torn apart. I felt completely weak and helpless, and for once had no idea what to do. My eyes shut tightly in frustration, but I could see the images flashing in my mind.  
  
"You're choice, Kai. Your so-called friends or your precious Dranzer..." his disgustingly pleasured voice made me feel sick. My brain was exploding with anger, torment, sorrow and guilt; so much I didn't know what to say. I couldn't retort, nor make a decision.  
  
"No..." I whispered again, my voice choked. My voice NEVER choked. I lowered my head until my eyes were shadowed in defeat. I sank to my knees as my world fell apart.  
  


* * *

  
END OF CHAPTER! Review!  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	12. Feelings

Yay! 100+ reviews! ^_^ Thank you so much to everyone that reviews, and to take the time to read my story! It's much appreciated.  
  
Sorry it took so long to update. I've been working on this one for a long time, so enjoy!  
  
I don't own anything.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 12: Feelings  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
Sitting in the darkness, on my knees, teeth clenched in frustration. Trying so hard not to let the tears fall... the only ones I cared about in the whole world, and I had to decide. I couldn't possibly. Without one, the other was lost as well.  
  
Without Dranzer, there would be no point to sticking with the Bladebreakers. They would drop me in a split second for someone else... anyone else. If I didn't beyblade, I don't see how anyone would want me around. Of course, even if I do they still don't want me around.  
  
I would easily be replaced by someone trusting, supportive and considerate, someone like Rei. Kind, sweet and caring like Hilary. Helpful, sensitive and friendly like Kenny. Charismatic, outgoing, tolerant like Tyson or cheerful, happy and optimistic, like Max. Those qualities are missing in me. They wouldn't have a disturbing past, filled with danger, such as myself. I put them in danger when I'm with them.  
  
That was part of the reason I refused to rejoin the Bladebreakers. I was putting them in danger, and thought if I kept my cold barrier they would leave me alone. Of course, I gave in, for my own selfish desires. If you got too close to me, you got hurt. I got hurt. The only way was to prevent it. It wasn't as bad as it sounds; I've dealt with it most of my life. Alone, solitary, lonely... the way it had to be.  
  
Being the accepting friends they are, they convinced me to come back and I don't know what I would do without them. Bringing me to my second option.  
  
Without the Bladebreakers, there would be no point to beyblading. Yes, it's true. Without Dranzer, there would be no point to beyblading either. I suppose I would go back to that prep school. I would rather be there than with Voltaire, mind you. Of course at school I wouldn't exactly be welcomed.  
  
Of course that's understandable. The only supposed "friend" I had was Wyatt, and he was out of the picture. Back to school, they would hate me for what I did to Wyatt, and think it was my fault. It is.  
  
My heart felt as if it was being torn in half. Grandfather was right; emotions were making me weak. Desperate, hopeless and sad, I would sacrifice myself for them. 'They will only lead to your downfall,' Voltaire's voice echoed in my head.  
  
"I'm so sorry..." I whisper, eyes glistening. I stand alone in the darkness.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
Kai's eyes snapped open as he immediately sat up. His heart was racing so fast he could feel the rush. Sweat was beaded on his forehead, and his breaths were shallow and scared. Tears still glistened in his eyes so full of emotion.  
  
"Thank goodness you're okay," a voice penetrated his thoughts. He looked and saw Hilary holding his hand; he hadn't noticed. He then realised Rei, Tyson and Max were staring at him intently. He noticed tears stained their faces.  
  
"What happened?" Rei asked gently.  
  
"You were unconscious for a really long time!" Max exclaimed.  
  
"We were scared," Hilary whispered.  
  
"You okay?" Tyson asked. Kai stared each one of them in the eyes in turn, before turning distant and lost.  
  
"I... I'll tell you what happened later," Kai managed to stammer between ragged breaths. He immediately checked that his Dranzer was safely in his pocket, and mentally sighed with slight relief.  
  
"Yeah," Rei said, nodding. He knew Kai would tell them when he was ready. It had to be something bad to shake Kai up like that. "Come on, let's go look for a way out of this freak nightmare," he said, walking away, Tyson and Max following his lead.  
  
Hilary released her grip from his hand, getting up to go but Kai grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Wait. What... happened?" Kai asked her. He wondered what they had seen.  
  
"Well, you just sort of collapsed and lost consciousness. I think it was just as Voltaire was leaving. We couldn't wake you up!" Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered her fear. She couldn't bear to think of his face so deathly pale, and the lack of response from his always alert senses. Her grasp tightened on his hand.  
  
Kai looked deep into her eyes. He could sense the true, honest concern for him. She really did care for him; he smiled inside. Maybe she... no, she liked Tyson. It was too obvious. Of course, he knew it all along. He nearly laughed and mentally slapped himself for thinking anything of the sort. He felt the heaviness of reality and sighed... as if anyone would like him.  
  
"What happened to you?" Hilary questioned nervously. With one look in his hurt eyes, she immediately apologised. He obviously didn't want to tell her. "I'm sorry. But you will tell me when you're ready, right?"  
  
He merely sighed, and began to walk away, with Hilary at his side. He was so relieved it had stopped, but how long until his nightmare became reality?  
  
He walked away with his arms folded, eyes closed and shadowed by his hair, away from the cell his broken younger self was being held in. Empty grey eyes of a young, hopeless boy struggled open, just as his future left him.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"So, Mr. D, anything?" Kenny panted after tearing through the building in search of him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kenny," the old man bowed his head. "We haven't been able to locate them or their bit-beasts."  
  
"Oh," was all Kenny could say, miserably. "We haven't either."  
  
"Come inside," Mr. Dickenson said, motioning inside the office again.  
  
Kenny sighed exasperated, having to continue explaining their story. He stared at the man who was looking at him intently, for him to start talking. "So where was I? Okay, well after we were out of the snow..."  
  
^^^^^  
  
'What am I doing? There's no use running from it. I'll have to tell them sooner or later,' Kai thought to himself, walking in silence through the dimly lit corridors of the abbey. 'You can tell us anything! That's what friends are for, right?' his friend's voice echoed in his mind.  
  
"Listen to me Hilary." His voice broke the glum silence that Hilary wasn't used to, but Kai had adjusted to his entire life. "Believe me, you won't like what I have to say, but I need to tell you."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"So tell me again, Rei, why did we just leave without them?" Tyson asked, confused.  
  
"Look, Tyson. I think Kai needs some alone time; he isn't ready to tell all of us what happened just yet," Rei responded.  
  
"So... he's okay with Hilary, but not us?" Max asked, sounding a little dejected.  
  
Rei smiled. "No, not at all, Max. It's just that I think he would be more apt to tell just one of us, as opposed to all of us. Anyways, Hilary seemed really upset."  
  
"Oh, okay." Max's voice perked up again. Hilary had seemed completely distraught when they hadn't been able to wake Kai. Well, they all had, but Hilary had shown it the most.  
  
Tyson raised his eyebrows at Rei's last comment, then started laughing.  
  
"What's so funny, Ty?" Max asked his laughing friend.  
  
"Hilary... get through to Kai? Ahahah..." Tyson continued to laugh, although it hurt inside just to think about it.  
  
Max and Rei looked at their friend oddly until he stopped his fake laugh that had actually sounded quite real. "You don't think..."  
  
"I didn't mean that, Tyson," Rei said; both he and Max knowing Tyson had a crush on Hilary that he refused to admit.  
  
"Hahah, of course not. I was just kidding there!" Tyson said, putting his hand on the back of his neck.  
  
Max and Rei rolled their eyes and smirked. "Whatever you say, buddy," Max laughed.  
  
"No, really! I don't like Hilary!"  
  
"Who said anything about you liking Hilary?" Rei smirked, faking innocence.  
  
"But now we know..." Max grinned deviously.  
  
"Hey! Yeah right," Tyson said, crossing his arms defensively and pouting like a toddler. "Give it up, will you? I don't-"  
  
"We know," Rei interrupted, smiling. Tyson grumbled.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Basically, I was in darkness, and he gave me a choice. I either surrender Dranzer..." Hilary gasped as Kai spoke with anger in his calm voice. "Or I lose you, Rei, Max and Tyson... forever."  
  
Hilary paled drastically, and felt nauseous. Tears started to spill from her eyes, and before she knew it she found herself crying into Kai's arms.  
  
(Hilary's POV)  
  
I felt like I was going to die. Maybe throw up, faint, then die. Yeah, that was the plan. Okay, before all that I would cry like a complete loser in front of Kai. I didn't want to, but found myself sobbing hysterically. Wait, there's no need to have die on my list. Kai would have me killed, along with the rest of them.  
  
My panicked mind was going crazy. I think I was delirious, and I had no idea what was happening. I found myself sobbing into Kai's arms, not knowing how I got there. I don't know how long I cried, but it was a long time. My eyes stung, and I knew I had far overdone the limits of my tear ducts.  
  
After choking back my stupid blubbering, I managed to say the stupidest thing ever. "So how long until you let us die?" I must have still been completely light-headed and deranged. How could I say something like that, I still don't know.  
  
A look of horror spread on his face. The embrace broke apart, just as his soul appeared to. I saw it as if it were in slow motion: first shock, then a hurt look I hadn't seen before. I wish I hadn't, it tore me to pieces.  
  
"How could you even think that?" he whispered hoarsely. His voice was agonised and had lost its cold, frosty tone. He sounded angry, but not with me, rather with himself. I would have preferred if he were angry with me.  
  
"I would never let that happen! And... I can't believe you thought..." his voice cracked. "I'm sorry," he barely whispered. "I guess I'm just not good enough."  
  
"No!" I shouted. "Oh, I'm so sorry. What was I thinking? Of course you wouldn't... but Dranzer!"  
  
He gave me a look that was hard to determine his exact emotions. I could definitely sense pain, regret and remorse. "I won't let that happen," he said, determinedly.  
  
My teary eyes looked up into his own. He was staring at me with his fixed, cool eyes. I let out a slight sigh of relief, as I realised he would keep true to his word. "Yeah," I smiled. I gave him a quick hug, then pulled away quickly as his gaze quickly broke and looked to the side.  
  
I blushed as I realised what I had just done. Maybe I had embarrassed him, but that wasn't very likely. His composition remained completely cool, although maybe slightly uncomfortable, as he wasn't used to hugs. Maybe he turned away because he didn't like physical contact? No, he was fine with that...  
  
The blush completely drained from my cheeks as I realised why he had looked away. He had sensed something, and that something was standing right before my eyes: Rei, Max and Tyson.  
  
They were staring at me, wide-eyed with shock. Kai slipped away down the abbey corridor and turned a corner, disappearing out of our sight. He hadn't said anything, but we all knew he needed some time alone. We let him go; knowing it was the right thing to do.  
  
"So what was that all about?" Max asked, as soon as Kai disappeared from sight.  
  
"What?" I asked innocently, although I'm sure my reddening cheeks betrayed me. I desperately didn't want to tell them of my stupid, stupid mistake.  
  
Rei looked at me with raised eyebrows. "There's something you aren't telling us, Hilary. What happened?"  
  
I sighed. Those golden eyes could see right through you, down to your very thoughts and feelings.  
  
"Yeah," Tyson joined in. "You wouldn't do that without a reason. A big one, I'll wager."  
  
I took a deep breath, and got it over with as fast I could. "Kai told me that he was given a choice to sacrifice either his Dranzer or our lives and I asked when we would die because I thought he would choose Dranzer over us- "  
  
"Breathe, Hilary." I obeyed Max.  
  
"So he got upset and then said that he wouldn't let anything ever happen to us or Dranzer, so... yeah..." my voice trailed off, but they got the idea.  
  
There was a long silence as they digested everything I had just said. It is pretty hard to swallow when someone tells you that you could die with a snap of his fingers. "...I see," Rei said after a while, shock still apparent in his face.  
  
"That's... disturbing," Max said. Another pause followed.  
  
"Well that was a pretty stupid thing to say," Tyson said bluntly. I couldn't help it; I broke into tears once again. Rei gave him a glare and a hard nudge.  
  
"She knows that already," Max said, as I continued to bawl.  
  
"So, that doesn't make it okay," he pointed out. I think I lost a few pounds in tears today.  
  
"Okay, she made a mistake," Max sighed. "Even though damage was probably done; I mean I can't imagine how I would feel if you thought I would betray -"My sobs became even louder, and Max stopped in mid-sentence.  
  
"Look, I'm sure Kai can handle it," Rei said above my weeping. "I mean, he probably just shrugged it off like it was nothing-"  
  
"No..." I said through choked sobs. "He... he said..." I couldn't continue, and broke down. 'I guess I'm just not good enough,' his broken voice echoed in my mind. "He said that he wasn't good enough," I said through strangled sobs.  
  
Through bleary, tear-filled eyes, I could see the shock once again on their faces. I covered my face with my hands, in an attempt to hide my face and stifle my cries.  
  
"Way to go, Hilary," Tyson said, with malice. "How ever do you do it. It must be a super power or something; I mean you hurt Kai! How many people can do that? You should get an award: stupid airhead of the year." Silence filled the area for too long, and my tears turned to rage. I could feel it burning within me; I'd had enough.  
  
"What is your problem?" My voice seethed with anger. "Can't you let it go?! I know I completely screwed up, no need to rub it in my face! You have all made mistakes, and ESPECIALLY YOU!" I screamed at Tyson. "You've hurt me too many times to count, and I overlook it! So why can't you just this one time? Answer me! Why can't you?"  
  
Their faces looked stunned once again. I wasn't done yet; oh no. "I'm sorry! Can't you get that through your thick skulls? Why is it that Kai can forgive me, but you won't? I don't need to take this. In fact, I refuse to be constantly treated like a total loser that can't do anything right. No matter how much I do, I can't get any respect! I might as well be dead!" I cry, shrieking as loud as I can to prove my point.  
  
Deathly silence fills the air. "I... I'm sorry-"Tyson started, but I interrupt.  
  
"Sorry just isn't good enough, Tyson," I say coldly, before running away as fast as my legs will take me.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
I wandered through the stone passages, searching for a way out. No matter how much I hated it, the sooner I found an exit the sooner I could leave my past behind. It was completely silent, just as I remembered it to be when I was still a prisoner in the place I suppose was my home.  
  
Stifled sobs were heard in the distance, and I immediately was drawn towards them. I soon found none other than Hilary, crying against a stone wall. "What are you doing?" I asked rather harshly. She should NOT be alone.  
  
"What does it look like?" her anger surprised me slightly. "I was enjoying my privacy until you came along." I could detect a trace of sorrow in her bitter words.  
  
"You didn't appear to be enjoying yourself," I remarked. She looked up at me with a glare, obviously irritated at my last comment.  
  
"Just leave me alone," she said, turning her back to me. She wasn't one to say that.  
  
"I will, once you tell me what happened," I persisted. She sniffled, and started talking, all the while avoiding eye contact.  
  
"I... we had an argument, okay? They continuously put me down, until I'd had enough and ran away." She shot me an icy glare, which didn't match her soft, ruby eyes.  
  
"Did you do anything to deserve it?" I said calmly. I'm sure my cool attitude was disturbing her.  
  
"...Yes," she said meekly. "But that doesn't mean they had to insult me!"  
  
"Was it intentional?" I felt like some kind of psychologist. It's amusing, proving people wrong. I watched as Hilary's face struggled to find a way to contradict me.  
  
"Well, I guess it wasn't completely... but Tyson's was downright mean!" She defended the remainder of her argument; I had destroyed most of it.  
  
"And do you think Tyson really meant it," I said, rather than asked.  
  
She sighed, defeated. "Probably not. You're right; I'll go back."  
  
"I never suggested anything," I pointed out. I had done that intentionally. I always make sure they choose their own path. If you have control of anything in this world, it's your own decisions. "You found that within yourself, because you never really did ditch them."  
  
She blinked a couple times, taking in what I had said. I can always tell when the light turns on, and they understand. Usually, a smile follows. This time was no exception, and a sweet little smile appeared on her delicate face.  
  
"Thanks, Kai," she uttered softly. Her tone was completely different from just moments ago. You have to admit; friends are easy to convince.  
  
We walked down the hideous stone halls, iron-barred cells completing the torture chamber. Well, at least they didn't completely sugarcoat the truth. Other than the name "Balkov Abbey", of course, the place pretty much reflected what went on inside, even if to a greatly diluted degree.  
  
"I hope she comes back soon," I heard a faint voice in the distance.  
  
"Yeah, but I doubt she'll forgive us for a while," a second said.  
  
"Come on, guys. We've been talking about this for like, ever!" That was definitely Tyson's loud voice.  
  
"Because it's so obvious that we hurt her! I feel badly, although she MUST know it wasn't intentional." I could distinguish Rei's voice, as our paths were coming closer to crossing.  
  
"Yeah. I would never say something upsetting deliberately," Max's innocent voice rang out.  
  
"Of course not; she knows I wouldn't either," Rei answered. I bet they both turned to stare at Tyson. I was right.  
  
"Why are you looking at me like that? I don't TRY to make her feel low, it just, sorta, happens... I tried to apologise, honest. She didn't take it, though."  
  
"We know, Ty," Max sighed.  
  
"I feel pretty lousy," Tyson groaned. "Man, I'm so sorry..."  
  
"Apology accepted," Hilary declared. The three swung around to see our faces.  
  
"Hilary! Kai!" They shouted, and started running towards us.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Hilary said, throwing her arms around Tyson. "So I hope you'll accept my apology. I should've known better."  
  
"Forget about it," Rei smiled.  
  
"So what made you, you know, come to your senses?" Tyson questioned, a little muffled by Hilary's tight clutches.  
  
"I guess, with some help, I realised you guys are my true friends," she smiled. Her eyes sparkled in Tyson's arms with life. Her empty, sad face became pretty once again. I hoped it would stay that way.  
  
As we were united once again, we were transported out of the horrid abbey that haunted me. This time, I knew it was no dream.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
The Bladebreakers were out of the dark tunnel and into the blinding array of artificial lights. They landed with a sickening "thud", unconscious on the clean floor tiles.  
  
Anyone who had seen them would have been terrified by their sudden appearance, as they seemed to come from nowhere. But nobody seemed to notice the five teens that fell, and didn't catch themselves.  
  
They all seemed to rouse at the same time, and as they opened their eyes they saw a gigantic screen in front of them. Waking to deranged laughter was highly unpleasant, as they found out.  
  
Groans were emitted, and the laughter grew. "Good morning, Bladebreakers," a cool voice taunted. "Enjoy your break while you can."  
  
"Wha?" Tyson mumbled, clutching his head. "Next time, can you at least give us some padding so we don't get concussions?"  
  
"Oh, but that takes away from my fun," the mocking voice laughed, getting growls.  
  
"What now," a weary Max complained.  
  
"Look, you're merely getting a vacation, a break, whatever. Don't make me change my mind," he said viciously. Getting suspicious glares from the teens, he continued. "I decided to let you have some time to think over your decision, Kai."  
  
Kai gave a deathly glare, with his fists clenched tightly. The scientist went on. "I'm sure you've told your – friends – about it. If you don't decide within a week, I'll just have to take both. Deal?" He laughed cruelly, and then the screen went blank.  
  
"Okay... so we're on vacation!" Tyson smiled. "Let's forget about that stupid decision for now, and enjoy ourselves!"  
  
"Yeah. You know, for once Tyson's right," Max laughed. 'It could be the last week of our lives,' he thought grimly to himself, although he didn't dare say it aloud.  
  
"So, do we have rooms or something?" Hilary wondered. Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out five keys. "Oh?" Hilary looked around suspiciously.  
  
"Dude, that's so cool!" Tyson grinned. Kai tossed him one of the hotel keys, and they walked to where their rooms were located. Tyson hurriedly opened the hotel door to the room he and Max would share which was between two other rooms for Hilary, and Rei and Kai. Stepping inside, they were astounded.  
  
"Wow, this looks like something Mr. Dickenson would provide for us," Rei commented.  
  
"Yeah, you're right! Just like that boat! Maybe he-"Max was cut off.  
  
"But that scientist dude sent us here," Tyson puzzled.  
  
"Maybe this was set up by Mr. Dickenson before the scientist took over," Kai mused.  
  
"Hey, that's probably it," Hilary smiled. "So I doubt there's gonna be any unpleasant surprises." The others nodded, delighted.  
  
"Rei, you should get your arm looked at," Kai stated.  
  
"Oh, yeah. That didn't occur to me," he smiled, and walked away towards the lobby.  
  
"LET'S EAT!!!" Tyson shouted, and the others fell over.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't quite hear you," Max muttered sarcastically, covering his ears.  
  
"I SAID-"  
  
"We know!" Hilary interrupted quickly.  
  
"So let's go!" Tyson started running towards the restaurant, followed by the others. They were starving.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Oh, if it had only worked out the way it was planned, they'd be enjoying themselves at a luxurious resort..." Mr. Dickenson sighed to himself. "Let's keep trying to locate them, Kenny."  
  
"Of course, sir," Kenny continued to type into his beloved laptop. "We've been trying since dawn without success," he said miserably. Kenny's stomach growled, reminding both him and Mr. Dickenson that they hadn't eaten since breakfast.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I completely forgot about lunch!" the old man left and came back in minutes later with a tray full of food for both him and the boy.  
  
"I do hope they're getting enough to eat," Mr. Dickenson said to himself.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Yum! Man, this meal is killer!" Tyson grinned, holding up his gigantic plate of a triple burger, extra large fry and giant chocolate milkshake.  
  
"No doubt, Tyson, it WILL kill you. It'll clog your arteries and you'll get a heart attack," Hilary smirked. "But this restaurant is so cool," she smiled. She hadn't eaten at a proper restaurant in so long. "They've got food from all over the world!" She took another bite of her Mexican taco and savoured the spicy flavour.  
  
"So do they really eat like this all the time in America, Maxie?" Tyson wondered in amazement.  
  
"Eheh... you really like it? I think it's kind of greasy," Max laughed. "But yeah, I guess they do," he smiled, remembering all the restaurants he went to with his mom last summer.  
  
"Tyson!" Hilary laughed, as Tyson swiped some of Max's Chinese food. Max was in a daydream state, and only noticed his food was decreasing when Tyson had shovelled a mound of rice onto his plate, along with a pile of noodles and a few egg rolls.  
  
"Hahah you snooze you lose!" Tyson laughed, and began devouring Max's food.  
  
"Hey! No fair... oh well, I'll just take some of Rei's!" Max grabbed a French pastry from Rei, who had just come back with a fresh bandage on his arm, over the stitches that ran all the way down.  
  
"Hey, take my pastry will you? Well I'll just have to take Tyson's milkshake!" Rei laughed. Tyson immediately tried to guard his own milkshake, but couldn't find it. Tyson sulked as he realised Rei had already taken it, and was drinking from it.  
  
The three burst out into laughter. Hilary slapped her forehead; but was laughing as well. Kai got up to go back to his and Rei's room to take a shower, leaving his half eaten pasta.  
  
"Hey, do you wanna go use the pool?" Rei suddenly asked.  
  
"Yeah, okay," the others agreed.  
  
"How about you, Kai?" Rei invited.  
  
"I guess... so long as you can swim on your own," Kai smirked. He felt obliged to go; he didn't want to worry his friends. Plus, it would be relaxing, and he needed to take his mind off things.  
  
"Meet you there at 7:00, okay?" Rei asked everyone, and they nodded acknowledging his suggestion before leaving.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai walked back to the room, and slipped into the shower. He relished the feeling of hot water hitting his skin. He hadn't had a shower in the longest time. He savoured the feeling of cleanliness.  
  
Feeling refreshed, he walked out of the bathroom and headed to the closet, and pulled out a simple pair of black swim trunks. 'Mr. Dickenson must have planned this,' Kai thought to himself; everything was carefully planned to their taste and style, to the very last detail.  
  
The stay at the hotel was thoroughly refreshing. It suddenly struck him that that was exactly what the ex-scientist wanted them to feel, so they would want more than ever to go back home. It would make any deal he offered all the more tempting.  
  
"It doesn't matter. I will never give in," Kai said aloud.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Rei wandered around the hotel. Kai was in their room, and he was sure Kai wanted some privacy. After exploring and going in circles, nearly half an hour later, Rei came to a sudden realisation, stopping dead in his tracks.  
  
"This hotel doesn't have an entrance, or exit! That means... we're trapped!" A startled Rei wandered about aimlessly; searching for evidence that he was wrong although he knew it was true.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Max pulled on his cerulean blue swim trunks. They exactly matched the deep blue of his eyes, making them appear even brighter than usual. Max looked exceptionally cute right now. "Not bad," he laughed aloud, looking into the full-length mirror.  
  
He grabbed a towel, and headed out the door to the pool, Draciel at his side. He felt happier than he had in so long. They didn't need to worry about anything, he thought.  
  
He suddenly realised he was running, and nobody had said anything. 'That's strange...' he mused. 'Cool! I wonder...'  
  
"Excuse me," he started talking to a lady at a counter. "I was wondering... where exactly are we?" The lady just stared blankly at him. "Uh, bye then," he just walked away. 'Man, that was weird.'  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hi, can I use your phone?" Hilary politely asked a man working at a desk.  
  
"No," was the blunt reply she really wasn't expecting.  
  
"Huh?" She was surprised. "Well why not?" The man just grunted, making her feel even more awkward, as she was already in a red two-piece swimsuit.  
  
"Uh... okay, then," she said, leaving. "Rude much?" she muttered under her breath.  
  
"Hi, can I use your phone?" she asked another person, getting the same response. She asked a number of employees, getting the same reply every time. She was getting strange looks as they passed this frantic girl flailing her arms in frustration, dressed in only a red swimsuit.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Tyson had been watching TV for a while. He loved being able to kick back and relax. He was already in his navy swim trunks, ready to spend some relaxing time in the pool. It surprised him, how they all wanted to go swimming, even after the dangerous encounters with water. Heck, he even surprised himself; he really was looking forward to a nice swim in the pool.  
  
He flipped through the channels, looking for something good. He kept going until – "Grandpa!" Tyson stared intently at the screen in front of him.  
  
"- Yeah, they've been missin' for two weeks now," Grandpa nodded grimly. Tyson noticed he was so serious and solemn. He hadn't noticed how much he missed his grandfather, until now. He stared helplessly at the screen before him, his face almost as grave as his grandpa's.  
  
"So you say he was on his way to a beyblade tournament," the reporter asked, or rather stated.  
  
"Yeah, that's what they said to me, but I was told otherwise. Stanley Dickenson informed me that they were actually off on a vacation. They were gonna have the time of their lives, while working on their beyblading skills: they're world champions, ya know."  
  
"Yes. The kidnapped teens were part of the Bladebreakers, the world champions in the sport of beyblading. Tyson,"  
  
Tyson watched as his own picture flashed on the screen, as his name was called. It was actually a good picture of him, taken after he had won the second world championships.  
  
"Max," Max was flashing his trademark grin in the picture, winking. His hand formed a peace sign. He looked so happy in the picture.  
  
"Rei," A smiling Rei stepped up to the bey-dish. Tyson's mouth twitched upward as he saw in the background an unusually large amount of girls in the crowd there to see Rei. He laughed aloud; he didn't have any fan girls. He had Zeo.  
  
"Kai," Kai was actually smiling very slightly. 'Wow, Kai's not frowning, glaring or scowling." Tyson mused.  
  
"Hilary," Hilary's school picture popped up. Tyson was so glad they hadn't shown his school picture; he hated fake smiles. Hilary had an empty smile, Tyson noticed. She was so much prettier with a real one, and she actually hadn't shown Tyson a real smile until she started hanging out with them. Maybe that's when he had actually started to think differently about her.  
  
"And Kenny," the reporter finished. Kenny's less-than-flattering picture appeared on the screen. Tyson knew Kenny often felt overshadowed by his friends. 'After all, how couldn't he while hanging out with us?' he joked, although he knew it was true.  
  
"Kenny was returned safely days ago," the reporter said in their monotonous voice. Tyson grinned and gave a huge sigh of relief. "He had no information as to where they were being held hostage, except that they were completely isolated, and living under atrocious conditions." 'Oh, that's a lot of help,' Tyson scoffed.  
  
"These popular young teens have fans from around the world, waiting anxiously for their return.' This completely surprised Tyson. The camera showed enormous crowds, all of who were worried about them.  
  
"Here are the Saint Shields, some friends of the Bladebreakers," the screen showed the four teens standing outside. It was absolutely gorgeous weather where they were. Tyson absentmindedly got up to check the weather where he was.  
  
"What?!" Tyson stood dumbfounded. The TV continued to blare in the background; the familiar voices of the Saint Shields filling the room.  
  
"If the sacred bit-beasts fall into the wrong hands, they could destroy everything," Ozuma's piercing green eyes flashed on the screen.  
  
"So you four are friends of the Bladebreakers?" The reporter questioned.  
  
"Yeah," Mariam smiled sadly. "Don't you worry, Maxie. We'll hunt those losers down and-"  
  
"Destroy them," Joseph finished with a glint in his eyes.  
  
"There's no way we're letting our mission just fall apart like this," Ozuma scowled.  
  
Click. Tyson shut off the TV with a sigh. "This is so weird!" Tyson said aloud. "So why didn't I realise there weren't any windows before...?" He stared at the ceiling with blinding fluorescent lights. The artificial light completely filled the rooms, so it seemed completely natural.  
  
"Whoa... Well it's time to go to the pool," he spoke to himself. He grabbed his towel and Dragoon, and headed out the door of the windowless room.  
  
Tyson walked to the indoor pool, noting that it was indoors. The whole way he found no windows, or glimpse at the outside world. 'Ironic, really. The TV is our window to the outside world.'  
  
"Hey! There's nobody here!" Tyson exclaimed.  
  
"Hey, watch who you call nobody!" Rei laughed, approaching his friend. Rei was wearing deep red swim trunks. "But, I know what you mean. It's really gorgeous for an indoor pool, isn't it," he commented.  
  
"Yeah..." Tyson looked at the artificial light that, if he hadn't known, would have mistook for sunlight. There were lots of trees and a waterfall, and a ton of plants.  
  
"You know these can't be real, right," Tyson stated.  
  
"Huh?" The fakes sure were good, they fooled Rei who was incredibly perceptive.  
  
"Plants need sunlight to grow. They get food from natural sunlight; not artificial lights," he said, pointing to the source of the light. "There's no windows."  
  
"Hey, you're right! I didn't catch that," Rei said, still wondering how he hadn't noticed the lack of windows.  
  
"Good job, Tyson. I see you were actually paying attention in class," Hilary's voice came.  
  
"Heheheh," Tyson grinned, putting his hand on the back of his head, blushing. It may have been the sudden appearance of Hilary in a two-piece swimsuit.  
  
Max and Kai appeared, and they were set to swim. They got in the water and let the soothing water calm them.  
  
"This is too weird," Max's voice echoed. "This place is gigantic, and it's only us!"  
  
"Yeah," Rei agreed. "Did you guys notice there are no doors?"  
  
"Yeah, sort of," Tyson agreed. Max and Hilary nodded. "There aren't any windows either."  
  
"The phones are out of use," Hilary added. "There aren't any in the rooms, and the people at the desk wouldn't let me use one!"  
  
"Yeah," Max concurred. "I asked a lady where we were, and she just-"  
  
"Stared at you?" Hilary finished.  
  
"Yeah! That happen to you too?" Max asked. Hilary nodded.  
  
"Hey, Kai. Did you notice anything weird?" Rei asked. Kai didn't reply, causing everyone to stare at him. Usually he noticed everything slightly suspicious, but he hadn't even noticed the lack of windows and doors.  
  
"That's... weird," Tyson said before submerging.  
  
"Got something on your mind, Kai? Maybe a girl?" Hilary teased.  
  
"Yeah, actually," Kai spoke, causing the others to choke. Tyson came back up and started coughing. "A girl and three other guys whose fate lies entirely in my hands." The others stared at him, the heaviness of his decision upon them once again.  
  
"Uh, right... sorry," Rei mumbled.  
  
'I can feel something else is going to happen if I don't give in soon,' he thought to himself.  
  
"So... splash fight!" Tyson said, sending a huge wave towards Max.  
  
Spluttering, Max sent back a series of splashes, and pretty soon they were all absorbed in a water war; all except for one distant boy.  
  
Kai emerged from the water, and went back to his room. The others didn't even notice he was gone, and he was glad. He dressed in his regular attire, and sat down in his bed.  
  
Grey eyes stared deep into his Dranzer bit; he might never see her again. He fell into a realm of memories, of Dranzer and himself. Dranzer had always been there for him, even when he hadn't returned the favour. There was no way Dranzer would slip through his fingers... again.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"So I'll see you guys at breakfast!" Rei called to the others, going into his room. They had just spent a great 3 hours at the pool. Artificial or not, it was amazing. They had only realised Kai had left maybe 2 hours ago.  
  
'Where'd Kai go?' Hilary had questioned; a slight disappointed look on her face. They had all known Kai had gone back to his room.  
  
'What, miss the opportunity to see him in swim trunks?' Max had joked as he saw her fallen face. Rei sighed; that would be driving Tyson absolutely insane.  
  
'No!' Hilary defended, although blushed furiously. 'Just that he has so much to worry about; it's not fair.'  
  
'Yeah,' Tyson's glower had faded.  
  
Rei walked into the hotel room to see Kai asleep; clutching his Dranzer blade. His face looked grim even in sleep. Rei turned out the artificial lights and felt the overwhelming darkness; there were no windows to soften the black. He climbed into his own comfortable bed, and lay awake.  
  
Rei knew how Tyson felt, although it was pretty obvious to him that Hilary liked Tyson back; he had nothing to worry about.  
  
Rei had thought he liked Salima. That is, he did but he realised that there wasn't a chance. Salima liked Kane, and it was so obvious. She had left without even saying goodbye.  
  
Rei liked Mariah, but they both knew it would never be the same. It crushed him, but he knew it was true. He also knew Mariah desperately wanted their close friendship to be something more, but Rei accepted the fact that it wouldn't work out.  
  
Rei sighed. The only way a relationship with Mariah was possible would be if he were to actually join the White Tigers. So, there wasn't a chance. 'Sorry, Mariah,' he mentally said. It was just a crush, he reminded himself; after all he was only 14. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, waiting for tomorrow to come.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai woke up, and glanced wearily at the clock. He dragged himself out of bed, and turned on the blinding lights. After a few seconds he adjusted to the brightness and checked Dranzer, to make sure she was still there.  
  
He hadn't had a good sleep at all. Nightmares of his past haunted him the whole night. All to make him give in, he supposed, but it wouldn't work. He supposed it could be from lack of sleep, but he really wasn't feeling well at all...  
  
^^^^^  
  
END OF CHAPTER. Please review! Thanks!  
  
~ Penguin Pop ^_^ 


	13. Games

Thank you so much all my reviewers! ^_^  
  
I just watched the first episode of G Rev. (I didn't see most of the second one.) But, they changed them quite a bit. It may have some influence on the characters... hope not too much though. Tyson's more serious, Rei's seemingly more outgoing and friendly, Hilary's way more annoying and weird, and Max well he didn't change much except his voice (:P) although he's a little more mature. Well, they're all more mature. And Kai, he didn't really change except for the overall closeness of their friendship. They all look older (except maybe Kenny!!) and more mature. I can't wait until it actually airs! In my opinion, it's way better! (Despite only having seen one full eppy...)  
  
So, anyways, on with the fic!  
  
Just a note, the particular boy introduced is NOT going to have some major part or anything. Note the lack of a name. I doubt you'll see him again.  
  
I don't own Beyblade, obviously. Psht, if I did I would be making the series! *wishes* so, here I am not owning Beyblade but owning my story which is based on something I don't own! How about that...  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 13: Games  
  
A maniacal laugh filled the air, as a deranged man sat amidst his gigantic collaboration of computers and other scientific instruments. He had lost his sanity and morality the instant he had discovered the true power of the ancient beasts...  
  
The laugh was not one of joy, however. It was empty and hollow; just as his own soul had become. There was the slightest inkling of virtue left, and that slight whisper was all that kept him from being a murderer.  
  
His sanity faded in and out like a twinkling star. He began to type into Mr Dickenson's program, altering it with a sickening twist. He used the original program, but had changed them dramatically. With new technology from the BBA, he felt as if he could do anything.  
  
He seemed to be in a trance, and wasn't aware of what was happening anymore. Wrong and right had disappeared from his vocabulary. "Soon you'll be mine," he whispered, as he stared at the beautiful phoenix bit in Kai's grasp.  
  
The dim lighting of his numerous screens and gadgets were all that shed brightness into his dark hideout. Nobody would find him... not even himself.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai walked to the bathroom and splashed icy water on his face. Staring into the mirror, he noted the blue triangles on his face remained. Most would only see a calm, stoic boy who appeared not to have emotions at all. Kai saw sad, grey eyes full of distress and pain staring back at him. 'Weakness,' echoed through his mind.  
  
He quietly walked back to his bed, and took out his Dranzer once again. He glanced over to the next bed, and noticed Rei looked feverish and unwell. He immediately went over to check on his friend, and he found him in a fitful nightmare.  
  
Guilt flooded him, as he realised it was his own fault. That psychotic scientist was serious. He was letting them die before his very eyes... "Rei," he whispered, and gently shook him. He wouldn't wake up...  
  
Kai tried to wake him more desperately this time, but he knew it wouldn't work. "No..." Rei silently screamed and started thrashing more violently. Kai saw tears streaming down his closed eyes.  
  
Kai stared in horror as his friend cried and screamed. He stood by helplessly, as he couldn't wake him from his nightmare.  
  
Rei gave a ragged cry of pain, as fresh tears of agony fell. Kai closed his eyes and left the room. He couldn't take any more.  
  
He desperately tried to open the door to Max and Tyson's room, and to his surprise it was unlocked. Hotel doors are never unlocked from the outside, he knew. It was obviously so he could see that his friends were in the same condition as Rei.  
  
"Tyson, Max," he stood at the door, and saw the two in similar agonised sleeps. It hurt him to see them; they were so innocent and hadn't done anything to deserve this. It was his fault alone. Tears streamed down their faces as screams escaped their lips. "I'm sorry," he said softly, not knowing whether they had heard him in their sleep.  
  
He found Hilary's door unlocked as well. Guilt struck with yet another blow to his troubled mind, as he saw the girl looking so distraught in her fevered state. He gently put his hand to her face, and remorse burned through him as a fever burned her.  
  
"Hilary..." he whispered softly, wiping tears from her face. Anger burned through him, and he silently walked out the door. For once, Kai didn't know what to do.  
  
He wandered through the hotel, not really caring where he was going. He would have gone outside, but there was no way out. He walked, deep in thought with his eyes closed.  
  
"You're pathetic, Kai. Wandering around like a lost soul," a voice mocked. His eyes snapped open, to see a cloaked figure. He leaned casually against the checkout counter, and Kai realised he was in the main lobby.  
  
"What do you want," he demanded.  
  
"Simple. I'm here to take Dranzer from you," the shadowed blader replied, leering. He whipped out his launcher and blade.  
  
"I don't think so," he replied calmly, although his grip on Dranzer was intense.  
  
"Fight me now!" the mysterious boy commanded, impatiently.  
  
"No," was Kai's simple response. That one word seemed to completely puzzle the boy. Kai suddenly smiled as a thought struck him.  
  
"Huh? Why not? Aren't you readily gonna give up Dranzer to save your friends?" The jeer in his voice had faded, to sheer confusion.  
  
"Nope," Kai said lightly. He smirked at the annoyance in the boy's face. His plan would most likely work now. He was good at twisting emotions.  
  
"But... don't you feel guilty? I mean, if you don't give up Dranzer your friends are gonna die!" The boy seemed desperate to hit a nerve.  
  
"Too bad, so sad," Kai replied with a smirk. It was working.  
  
"How can you stand by and let your friends die? They would readily give up their bit-beasts for you..." The boy seemed appalled. "You don't deserve friends."  
  
"Yeah, well what can ya do," Kai said solely to see the shock on the boy's face.  
  
"Come ON! Fight me!" The boy seemed to plead.  
  
"No." The boy was getting extremely irritated.  
  
"Come on, Kai. You afraid?" the boy smirked, thinking that would definitely work and get him rattled up.  
  
"Nah. I just don't wanna waste my time with pathetic losers like you," Kai replied calmly.  
  
"What?! You take that back! I will win! I'll show you!" The boy seemed absolutely furious.  
  
'Perfect,' Kai thought to himself. "Look, kid. You need to make this more interesting, because I know for a fact you'll lose." The boy was positively shaking with anger.  
  
"There isn't a chance I'll lose," he snapped viciously. "So why not. If I win, you surrender both your friends and Dranzer. If you win, you get to keep both," the boy said. Kai smirked; that was exactly what he was counting on.  
  
^^^^^  
  
The scientist stood appalled. "You fool," he whispered. "You better win, or else..." He craved the power of Dranzer.  
  
"Well, there's no way he can lose to Kai. Statistically speaking, Kai doesn't have a chance." The scientist absentmindedly patted the disks containing stolen data. Data taken from a certain laptop...  
  
^^^^^  
  
The blades launched simultaneously, and sparks flew. Deep grey clashed with blue, and it appeared the blue blade was already losing...  
  
The dark grey blade continued to slam into Dranzer, delivering heavy blows. "Go, Dranzer," Kai commanded, and the blue blade struck grey. It appeared not to phase it one bit. Kai's eyes widened in fright.  
  
The boy smirked. "Is that all ya got? I can't believe you're a world champion. Oh yeah, I forgot. You're not a world champion," he laughed. "How's it gonna feel to have Dranzer taken away from you AGAIN?" He gave an evil grin.  
  
"Not a chance. Don't allow your ego to get so inflated, kid. It'll be your downfall," Kai frowned. 'I can't lose you, Dranzer. My friends are counting on me. This battle determines it all... I won't let you down. Never again.'  
  
"Feel my sheer power!" The boy cried, and sent his grey blade hurtling towards Kai. Kai nearly dodged, but it grazed his shoulder leaving a deep wound. Kai staggered as the pain set in, and held his arm only to get blood on his fingers.  
  
"Not so high and mighty now," the boy laughed. The blade continued to deliver gashes and cuts to Kai's body.  
  
Kai was greatly weakened. He nearly collapsed, but resisted. He had pushed himself over the limit. If his friends had been watching, they would have stopped him long ago. But they weren't, and that was precisely why Kai continued to fight.  
  
"I won't give up," Kai said through clenched teeth. The blade continued to cut him, but he held. He was waiting for the right opportunity... hopefully he could survive until then.  
  
With another striking blow to his body, the blade tore through his flesh and Kai fell to his knees. "Who's the pathetic loser now, Kai?" the hooded figure asked menacingly.  
  
"You're the pathetic one," Kai remained confident through his pain. "Only the truly weak attack their opponents. I don't need to stoop to that level, although I can understand why you might," he smirked. He was barely holding out, but remained focused: any moment now he would let his guard down.  
  
"What? Take THIS, Kai!" The boy shouted, and his blade struck, sending Kai flying further than anyone would believe possible. Kai let out a cry of pain, and was only hanging in by the thread of hope he had, and his sheer determination.  
  
Kai struggled to get up. With difficulty, he got onto his hands and knees. Even though he was in such a weak state, his voice remained completely calm and confident. He had to, for his chance of a plan to succeed. He had one last chance. "Look, kid. You're nothing compared to me. I don't care what you throw at me; truth is I'll always be better than you can dream of. Face it, you're a loser, and always will be."  
  
"Why you... I am NOT a loser! I've won hundreds of beybattles! You can't defeat me!"the boy was enraged now. This was exactly what Kai had been waiting for.  
  
"Already did. Dranzer! Now!" He commanded with the last of his energy, and the blue blade burst into flame. It hit the grey blade head on with a devastating blow. The grey blade smashed to pieces, and crumbled around its cloaked master.  
  
"What? No way..." the cloaked blader stared in shock as the realisation of defeat sank in. Strange orange eyes stared blankly into nothingness. Fragments of his busted blade showered around him.  
  
"Now get lost," Kai commanded harshly, but the boy needed no encouragement. He ran away as fast as he could, cloak whipping behind him. With his velocity, flaming orange hair, which matched his eyes, was revealed under his hood. Kai vaguely wondered where he could go since there was no exit, but before he could finish his train of thought, his body gave way and he collapsed onto the floor.  
  
He lost consciousness with final feelings of relief and success. Thoughts of his friends lingered in his mind, as he lay on the cold floor, Dranzer tight in his grasp.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"You failed, and that is not an option," a twisted voice spoke in the dark. A boy was begging for mercy on his knees, but to no avail.  
  
"Please, no," he pleaded. He lowered his head. "I'm truly sorry. I let my emotions interfere with my battle. I let my guard down and fell right into his trap. I screwed up bad."  
  
"We both know that, don't we," the scientist growled. "Now you won't remember a thing..." he hooked the boy up to a computer with many wires. His cloak was removed, revealing strikingly orange hair that matched his eyes.  
  
The scientist typed in some commands, and after a few minutes a bar came up. "Deleting memory... 100%" finally showed up, and the boy collapsed.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kenny ran through the streets with Dizzi under his arm. He was on his way again to the gigantic BBA building. He was already somewhat late, when he tripped over... a body?!  
  
"Aah!" Kenny yelled, and fumbled around for his thick glasses. "Sorry," he muttered, getting off the boy. He was cradling Dizzi thanking the heavens the laptop wasn't damaged. "Are you okay?" He noticed the boy was staring at him, dazed.  
  
"Who- who am I?" Orange eyes looked completely lost and confused. He ran a hand through his orange hair. "Where am I? And who are you?"  
  
"Hey, it's gonna be alright," Kenny smiled encouragingly. "What happened? What's the last thing you remember?" He helped the boy to a sitting position, and knelt down to talk to him. He was rather lonely without his friends.  
  
"Uh... well I remember being thrown here onto the sidewalk. And then... then he drove away? Oh, I don't know. I don't even know who I am anymore, or where I live. I don't know anything, except the past few fragments after waking up unconscious in a car," he sighed, frustrated.  
  
"It's okay. Calm down and maybe we can sort this out," Kenny smiled. "Dizzi, do a quick scan to make sure everything's okay," he said to his laptop.  
  
"I'm already on it, chief," her computerised voice came. "And, nothing appears to be wrong. Except something in his mind seems to be missing. Almost... deleted," she said in confusion.  
  
"Strange..." Kenny murmured. "Do you remember anything else? Anything at all?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. When he left me lying weak on the ground, he said something. I... something about me, failing to do something. And then he drove off and was muttering something. He sounded... possessed." The boy found it excruciatingly hard to remember.  
  
"What was he saying?" Kenny asked, not really paying full attention. He was just being friendly and polite.  
  
"It... it doesn't make any sense at all. Something like 'Dr... Drawn... sir?" he moaned.  
  
"Dranzer!" Kenny shouted. When the boy nodded vigorously, Kenny leapt up. "Did he say anything else? What was his license number? What was the car like? Do you know ANYTHING before the car? Did he mention anything else strange like that? Is there any more information you can give me?!" Kenny was screaming hysterically.  
  
"I'm really sorry," the boy muttered. He gave a sad smile.  
  
"Oh..." Kenny's face fell. "Do you know how to beyblade?"  
  
"No, what's that?" He looked puzzled.  
  
"Oh, never mind." Kenny's face had fallen. He felt even worse than before. He zoned out, and started to mutter under his breath as he fell into deep thought. "Dranzer... then he's after Kai? Maybe he was sent to capture Dranzer. But then again, this kid doesn't even know HOW to beyblade! But his mind WAS erased..."  
  
"Uh, excuse me?" the boy prodded Kenny gently, bringing him out of his deep thoughts. "Could this be of any help? I found it in my pocket," he said, bringing out a few tiny fragments of deep grey.  
  
Kenny grabbed the pieces carefully, and let Dizzi examine the sharp, hot metal shards. 'Wait a minute! It's warm!' He thought to himself. "This was in your cloak pocket?" The boy nodded. "Then that means it's very likely that..."  
  
"You got it, chief," Dizzi replied brightly. "These are indeed slivers of the attack ring of a beyblade! And get this – it seems this very blade had been in contact with Kai's Dranzer blade! It appears to have been shredded to pieces by Dranzer itself!"  
  
Kenny's eyes would have been sparkling, except for the fact they were hidden (or non-existent). "No way! This is incredible! That means Dranzer was still in Kai's possession, for the time being. We MUST show this to Mr Dickenson right away!"  
  
Kenny slammed Dizzi shut and raced towards the BBA building, bringing the boy along to be admitted into the hospital. Kenny smiled at the tiny fragments in his hand.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Rei awoke with a jolt from his horrid nightmare. He felt tears fresh on his face, and he was sweating like crazy. He could still feel the intense pain of his torture in his mind. His breathing was insanely harsh and scared, and his heart was racing.  
  
The torture was very real. Even though it was in his sleep, and the wounds to his body seemed to have disappeared, as they were never there to begin with, it had actually happened.  
  
A few more tears escaped his deathly pale face, as he sat with his face pressed into his knees. He felt sick, and felt like he would throw up. The excruciating nightmare lingered in his mind.  
  
His nightmare had been hell. He couldn't move; only watch and scream in pain as he was cut with blades and glass. Physical abuse of punches and kicks had been agonising, and objects being thrown at his weakened body were terribly painful. He could still hear screams and horrifying laughter echoing through his head.  
  
'Get a grip, Rei. It's over,' he told himself. He focused to calm himself, and golden eyes slowly opened.  
  
Rei found that he and the rest of the Bladebreakers were out of the hotel, and lying on a cement floor. He looked at the thick cement walls, and that's when realisation hit him like an anvil. "We're in a gigantic maze!"  
  
Tyson, Max and Hilary had wakened from their torturous nightmares as well. They looked in the same condition as Rei. Max seemed to be completely overwhelmed and was shaking uncontrollably. Rei walked over to try and comfort his friend.  
  
"Hey Max, it's okay," Rei said soothingly, giving him a brief much-needed hug. Innocent, sweet Max; it was too much for him.  
  
"It's over," Rei continued to comfort his blond friend. "Kai, he-"Rei glanced over to see Kai, who was a little ways away, and stopped in mid- sentence. Kai was brutally injured. Blood flowed from several deep gashes similar to that on Rei's arm, although not as severe. He was ghostly pale, and looked in extreme pain.  
  
Rei suddenly heard a shrill shriek. He instantly turned to the source of the scream, to see Hilary. She freaked at the sight of Kai. Tyson immediately looked and saw Kai. "KAI!" he yelled, and they both started running over. Max's blue eyes fluttered open, and he gave a heavy gasp at what he saw. Their own fears were momentarily forgotten as they saw their friend lying still on the ground.  
  
They all knelt around their injured friend. His grey eyes slowly opened, and he painfully sat up, groaning slightly. "Kai, what happened?" Hilary asked uneasily.  
  
"I won," he smirked, and held out his precious Dranzer for them to see. The others stared in disbelief, and smiles spread across their faces.  
  
"Really? You mean you don't have to make the decision?" Tyson grinned.  
  
"Nope," Kai smiled. Hilary noticed how much cuter he was when he wasn't troubled and depressed. An intense burden had just been lifted, and despite his wounds he looked relieved.  
  
"Wow, Kai! How'd you do it?" Max's voice had regained its enthusiasm.  
  
"Let's just say I twisted his emotions to my advantage," he said. "He challenged me to a beybattle, and I raised the stakes. It was all or nothing."  
  
"You mean you put our lives on the line?" Tyson cocked an eyebrow at his friend.  
  
"I had to, Tyson." He stared deep into his beyblade. He didn't have to, but he couldn't just surrender Dranzer like that. He supposed it might have been slightly selfish, now that he thought about it.  
  
"It's okay, dude. We probably woulda done the same if we were in your shoes," Rei smiled. "Actually, we probably wouldn't have been able to do that. It takes a lot of confidence and courage to do what you did. Thanks, Kai."  
  
"Yeah! Way to go, Kai! You're the best!" Hilary beamed.  
  
"Yeah!" Max grinned. "You're super cool!"  
  
"Awesome job, dude!" Tyson smiled. "Thanks for saving our butts! You totally rock!"  
  
"Don't celebrate so fast, Bladebreakers," a chilling voice disrupted the happiness. "The party's not over yet. I would advise you get through this maze as soon as possible, or you may suffer devastating consequences..."  
  
"Ha, you're just sad 'cause Kai ruined your plan," Tyson mocked, disguising the fear crawling through him. "Well I've had enough. I don't want to hear your creepy voice anymore! Go! Dragoon!" Tyson launched his blade at the small speaker high on the maze wall. Sparks flew, and it was destroyed.  
  
"Thanks, Tyson." Max was shivering again at the sound of the voice. It had haunted their twisted nightmares of torment and torture. The others looked shaken, and grateful for Tyson's compulsive actions.  
  
Kai got to his feet. "I suppose we better get going. We don't know how much time we have, and knowing this psychopath I reckon it's not just an empty threat." The others nodded, and they started walking through the gigantic maze.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kenny was racing through the streets of Japan yet again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Running from his house to the BBA building, often. But right now, he was running towards the outlook, Kai's place for contemplation. Why was he running? He honestly didn't know. Kenny HATED running, or any form of exercise for that matter. He was horrendous at any physical activity, and he knew it. He supposed he was running out of sheer habit. With the Bladebreakers, they were always running. Maybe because they were late, chasing a challenger, or just training. He missed it.  
  
Maybe he was running away from the fact that the BBA scientists hadn't been able to identify any trace of where they might be. Or where the residue might be from, except that it used to be part of an attack ring. He missed them so much. He was grateful that he had been sent home safely.  
  
He panted, exhausted from the run. He had made it, although he didn't feel great after the run. He didn't get that glowing feeling of adrenaline rushing through his veins. Instead his lungs seemed to be dying, and it hurt to breathe. But all that was forgotten as soon as he stared at the spectacular view.  
  
He would have rested his elbows on the rail as Kai did, but was a little too short. Instead he peered over, hands at his side, and went deep into thought. He probably stayed a few hours like that. "Maybe my relief from my release is selfish. Actually, I know that it is. I'm so glad to be home, but I wish you were here too... you paid the price for me. And me, I seem to be getting nowhere to finding you. I've done all I can... and I won't give up. But maybe that's not enough... this is hopeless. But as you've all told me I give up too easily. Hm, well then again, that's coming from you guys and you never give up. So don't give up on me now. Please..."  
  
He slowly wandered away, not really knowing where he was going. The sky was much darker than when he had first came out. He was completely stiff and achy, but it didn't matter. His friends were suffering worse than he would, he knew. He found himself walking on the bridge over the river. Rei often came out here, usually at night. Kenny sighed. Again, it was a beautiful view. It was beautiful out here, and he only wished his friends were here to enjoy it with him.  
  
He was walking along the riverside now, and glanced under the bridge. Tyson went there when he was troubled, or had something on his mind. Kenny sat down exactly as Tyson did, and wrapped his legs with his arms. He sat there and closed his eyes, feeling a gentle breeze blow through his hair. "I miss you..."  
  
^^^^^  
  
The Bladebreakers were walking through the enormous maze. 'Mazes are supposed to be fun; a source of entertainment for kids,' Rei thought to himself. 'But, we are so not having fun. The only one having fun is that deranged scientist, who's watching us not have fun. How ironic is that. The twisted adult has fun with this horrid maze, watching the kids struggle hopelessly to get anywhere.' "Honestly, I'll never do another maze on a kid's menu again," Rei laughed.  
  
"You said it," Tyson agreed. "I mean, besides the fact that we're getting too old to order kid's meals anymore. Twelve and under, psh... oh well," Tyson grinned. "The portions were way too skimpy anyway. Honestly..."  
  
"Hahah, oh Tyson..." Hilary laughed, along with the others.  
  
Kai suddenly looked up. "What is it, Kai?" Rei asked.  
  
"Nothing... I just thought I felt water, although I may have been mistaken." Kai had definitely felt a drop of water land on him, but didn't want to worry the others. "Nonetheless, we should quicken our pace."  
  
The others agreed, and they started to jog at a moderate pace. Kai whipped out his Dranzer and launched at the concrete wall, leaving a scratch on the surface. As soon as it left a deep scratch, Dranzer returned back to his hand.  
  
Rei nodded, as he understood what Kai was doing. "That's a great idea!"  
  
"Huh? What?" Tyson turned his head to look at Kai, and jogged right into a wall. "Oww..."  
  
Rei sweat-dropped. "We should leave a mark so we can trace our path."  
  
"Oh, I see! Sort of like in Hansel and Gretel," Tyson smiled. Rei nodded. "Speaking of which, I'm hungry..." Tyson's stomach growled as he spoke.  
  
"Aren't we all," Hilary agreed. "I'd love a house made entirely out of candy! I'd have fallen into the witch's trap for sure. I'm a sucker for sweets."  
  
"Hahah, that's punny," Rei laughed. "If I was a dessert, I would be... a chocolate cake!"  
  
"Why a chocolate cake, Rei?" Tyson asked, salivating at the words chocolate and cake. "Sweet? Layered? Likeable?"  
  
"Nah, I just like chocolate cake!" The others sweat-dropped.  
  
"Huh?" Hilary had felt something, and looked upwards.  
  
"You felt the water too, Hilary?" Kai asked, or rather stated. He knew she had. She nodded, confirming his thoughts.  
  
"Start running," Max hissed.  
  
"That's right, Max," a cold voice said from a speaker.  
  
"No, not you again!" Tyson said, whipping out his launcher.  
  
"Destroy it if you wish, Tyson," it said icily. "But I believe your friends may want to hear this. Especially Max."  
  
Tyson lowered his blade. "Smart decision. Now Max, you surely realise the maze is filling with water."  
  
Max saw that the cement was spattered with a few drops of water. He vaguely wondered what this had to do with him, but he knew the truth. He was after Draciel.  
  
"The water will continue to pour, until you surrender Draciel. If not, you'll surely drown, since you most certainly will not find the exit in time. Death by Draciel's very element..." his voice was eerie and haunting. He meant every word he said. Max involuntarily shivered.  
  
"Now, can I?" Tyson asked, his launcher ready once more. The others nodded, and he destroyed the speaker they had grown to hate. "So what do you reckon is at the end of the maze?"  
  
"An exit, perhaps," Kai said dryly. "Which we apparently won't find. But in honesty, it's probably better outside of this maze than drowning inside. Prove him wrong and let's get out of this death trap. Lead the way, Max."  
  
Max took the responsibility as leader with an unspoken understanding. Max was the target, so he should lead them out. He started to run, then broke out into a sprint. The others followed close behind.  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Max's POV)  
  
I must be cracking under this immense pressure. Maybe the lack of air is getting to me, maybe I've been running more than my body can handle. Like a lab rat so hopelessly stuck in a maze trying to reach the cheese, while the scientist merely observes the poor creature.  
  
The nightmare has scarred me. I'm slowly dying. Torture... I can't take it. I think the torment has taken its toll on me. I would rather die now than slowly go through this torture, shredding me to pieces slowly and painfully.  
  
The more I stare at the blank walls of the maze, the more confused I get. I see strange images and hallucinations as I run past, and they follow me... my heart is racing and not just because I'm running not only for my life, but for my friends as well... I feel so lost and deluded.  
  
So much has happened in such a short period of time. Okay, so much wrong and injustice has happened. I feel like I'm losing my sanity. Slowly but surely, I'm dying. I want to laugh again, and smile freely. Like at the hotel, I was so foolish into thinking it would last. When will this hell end? When Draciel is surrendered, my mind tells me. At the end of chaos, new misery arises.  
  
I want to go home. Just to see my mom, my dad, Mariam... anyone familiar again. I wonder if they even care, of course they do. After all, I am Draciel's protector. I give a sad smile. Is that all I'm good for? Am I just a hassle, liked only because I'm a responsibility? Used...  
  
I'm unaware of what's happening anymore. I want this hell to end so badly... but I can't give up Draciel. I'm fighting with myself, slowly killing myself. I'm sure my pace of running is slowing. Tears run slowly down my face, again. Mariam would laugh at me if she saw me now. My parents would be ashamed of me, maybe already are. I mean, maybe I've caused the problems in my family. They smile as if everything's okay, and try to get along. I know it's not. It's all an act; I know what's going on but act as if I'm oblivious to it all.  
  
What do my friends think about me? Probably disappointed in me. I drag down the team. What do I contribute? Nothing... I'm overshadowed. I AM a shadow. Tagging along, doing absolutely nothing. I've changed. I've become more withdrawn and reserved. Sure, the others have changed too. And they have risen above me, leaving me behind in the dust.  
  
Tyson's bright and happy in-your-face confidence attracts people to him like ants to a popsicle slowly melting on the sidewalk in the hot summer sun. His magnetic charm, charisma if you will, gets him anywhere he wants to go in life. And, of course his beyblading is phenomenal. He is the world champ. His spontaneous plans, along with his passion and strong bonds of friendship, plus his super powerful Dragoon, make him the best.  
  
Rei's actually an extroverted person as well, although to a calmer level. He's confident as well, and his focus is unswayable. Once his mind is set, he doesn't change his mind. Instead, he bends other people towards his ideas. Being extremely observant and perceptive, he is sensitive and can figure people out like a jigsaw puzzle. His personality, physical and mental strength, as well as looks attract the girls. His friendships run deep and steadfast, and his bond with Drigger reflects that. I'll wager his bit-beast bond is the strongest of anyone on Earth. It performs miracles, and the devotion is so strong it's saved Rei's life more than once.  
  
Kai can make it through anything. After all he's been through, he's still determined and ready to take on the world. He's vigilant and always aware. Kai, the all-knowing... yet he doesn't flaunt it. His beyblading is so confident and steady; he is easily the best blader on the team. You may argue, but that's what I believe. Tyson relies on sudden impulse, and quite often he loses. Kai, on the other hand, always knows exactly what he's doing. And now, he cares. Cares about us, his life. He'll always pull through for us. He will never let us down, like I'm about to. Maybe already have.  
  
Hilary may not blade, but she sure does a lot for us. She trains us really well, its surprising considering she doesn't blade. Her sweet nature and thoughtfulness often holds the team together, I'm sure without her we would have never won the world championships. She's helped us through emotional struggles and gets us on track. And, of course, she's cute. It's dead obvious Tyson has a crush on her. Her presence radiates like sunshine, helping us through.  
  
And as for Kenny... He organises, analyses and collects data on our team and others. He digs out information and passes it on to us, helping us out. His information is invaluable, and is an important aspect to our team. He helps us out of messes with his head, and fixes our blades.  
  
So, need I say anything I was once good at has been replaced by something better? I'm falling deeper into darkness... Maybe I'm destined to be one of those suicidal, angst-ridden teenagers, drowning in that unloved, unwanted feeling. I think it's deeper than that. I feel so pathetic. I'm sorry...  
  
^^^^^  
  
(Normal POV)  
  
"Hey Max, are you okay?" Rei asked warily as he noticed Max's pace slow. It wasn't just because of the foot-deep water. He ran ahead to Max and caught up. The blonde boy didn't turn to look at him. "Max?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine. Forget it." His voice sounded emotionless, but Rei could feel his sorrow. His pace quickened again, running faster than before. It seemed to Rei he wanted to be alone... but Rei couldn't allow that.  
  
"Max!" Rei ran ahead, easily catching up to him. His physical strength surpassed Max's, and the others on the team for that matter. "Hey, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, I told you. Now, leave me alone..." the blonde spoke still staring ahead. Rei frowned in suspicion. "I'm just exhausted," he said truthfully, realising Rei wouldn't leave until he said more. 'Physically, mentally and emotionally,' Max thought sombrely to himself.  
  
"Then let's take a break," Rei suggested. "I'm tired myself. It's hard running through this water," he said, kicking swiftly and splashing ahead.  
  
"HEY REI! MAX!" A voice came muffled yet insanely loud, from behind a few cement walls. It was unmistakably Tyson's. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Rei cringed at the loudness.  
  
"OW!" MY EARS, TYSON!" Hilary shrieked. Rei cringed again; she was equally as loud, perhaps from her temporary deafness from Tyson's previous yell.  
  
"WHATEVER, HILARY! WE NEED TO CATCH UP TO REI AND MAX!!" Tyson yelled.  
  
"IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO SHOUT!!" Hilary screamed back.  
  
"Hey Max, wait up! Let's wait for them!" Rei said, realising Max had trudged on without him and was still going. "Max! Stop!" He obeyed, not turning around once to look at Rei. Rei sighed.  
  
"REI!!! MAX!!! WAAAIIIT FOR US!!!!" Tyson's voice was excruciatingly loud now. He was just around the corner. "DON'T DITCH US! WE'RE YOUR FRIEN--"He stopped abruptly as he ran straight into Rei.  
  
Rei fell to the ground with a huge splash, now completely soaked all over. He coughed, getting up. "Ugh... thanks, Tyson."  
  
"Hahah, sorry about that..." Tyson had on his cheesy grin. Hilary stood behind him, rolling her eyes at his stupidity, laughing at his antics.  
  
A thoroughly annoyed and nearly deaf Kai stood beside her. "Never. Do. That. Again." It was Rei's turn to put his hand on the back of his head and give a cheesy grin.  
  
"Heheh, sorry about that, Kai." He laughed as he thought of the stoic teen directly behind the two screaming their heads off. An eye twitched slightly in annoyance.  
  
"So why did you accelerate, anyways," Kai asked, recovering from the deafening experience.  
  
"Well Max looked sad. So I went to see what was wrong and he started to run faster, like he was running away from me. So, I went to catch up." Rei explained, and now looked over at Max. He wasn't laughing, or smiling, or even looking at them. He hadn't moved since Rei had commanded for him to stop. Kai immediately headed over to see what was wrong.  
  
Rei smiled. Yeah, Kai was definitely a lot more considerate and caring. Heck, he didn't even make excuses to be nice anymore. His eyes glanced to Tyson, and a grin spread across his face.  
  
"Hey Tyson!" Rei said from behind. Tyson turned around and *SPLASH*! Rei completely soaked Tyson. He burst out laughing, as Tyson's stunned look slowly turned to a grin.  
  
"Hey!" Tyson literally tackled Rei, and they both went headfirst into the water. The two sat, drenched, in the water, laughing their heads off.  
  
"You guys," Hilary scolded mockingly. Tyson splashed her, causing her to shriek. "Tyson you idiot!"  
  
"Come join the party, Hil," Rei laughed, and gently splashed her again.  
  
"Rei! Honestly, how immature-"she suddenly screamed as Tyson pulled her into the water, soaking her completely so the three of them were completely soggy. Kai glanced over, wincing at Hilary's shrieks.  
  
"Hey Max." Kai said, putting his hand on Max's shoulder. Max didn't respond. He didn't flinch at the sudden touch. He didn't even look at him. "Tell me what's wrong." He commanded, rather than asked; it's just what he did.  
  
Max didn't answer. "Max." Kai forced him to make eye contact. What Kai saw was even more melancholic than he had imagined. Tears, cold and passionless, ran down his pale face. A hopeless, dead look was set in his normally bubbly features. But what got to him most were the eyes. The cerulean orbs had lost all shine and brightness. They seemed hollow and empty, drowning in misery.  
  
The pressure, the torment and the eternal misery had finally got to him. It had wasted him into this lifeless shadow that lay before Kai.  
  
Max was lost.  
  
^^^^^  
  
END OF CHAPPIE!! Hope ya liked it! REVIEW PLEASE!!  
  
~ Penguin Pop 


	14. Tears of Draciel

Thank you so much for all your reviews and suggestions! You know reviews totally make my day!  
  
Sara: Hmm, maybe I'm getting too predictable! That was actually something that was going to happen, although slightly different. But, it has already happened to Kai. But that's because it is the most obvious thing to happen in his predicament. I dunno, we'll see how it turns out!  
  
Phoenix the first: Wow, it's great that I don't appear to be biased. Of course, I do have my faves (yay Kai and Rei!) and it's pretty hard not to focus on only one of them. I suppose you just have to concentrate not to focus just on one. ^_~  
  
To all concerned with pairings: You'll just have to see as the story progresses. There are hints throughout the story. I obviously can't please everyone but reviews will undeniably have influence.  
  
Don't own it, never will =(. But hey! I DO own my story!! Yeehaw.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 14: Tears of Draciel  
  
Staring deep into those cold blue eyes, Kai seemed to search for Max's soul, but to no avail. Neither broke the stare, but Kai knew Max wasn't looking at him. He wasn't focusing on anything at all. Seeing but not watching, the dulled blue orbs continued to stare harshly into Kai's own soft grey eyes, which were now filled with concern and worry.  
  
"What do you want," Max finally said in a barely audible whisper. His voice was quiet, but filled with venom and sting. Kai was silent, for once at loss for words. It was obvious he wanted Max to carry on, to be okay, to make it through, but the words didn't come. He continued to stare at the unfamiliar eyes, as if searching desperately for Max, his friend. "What do you want with me?" Max hissed again, his eyes penetrating.  
  
"What I want, Max, is for you to understand that there is so much more to life, and once we get through this labyrinth you'll feel life better than ever. I want you to know that we are always going to be there to support you, as friends and teammates. Don't let him break you down; we'll get through this together. No matter what happens, don't give up." Kai's grey eyes were fiery and burned with determination.  
  
The blue eyes were closed, now, and Max slowly turned away. What he said next caused the fire in Kai's eyes to leave with a blink. "Sorry," he whispered with a vile smile. "Too late."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Good morning, chief," Dizzi's electronic voice came from the laptop. "My, you slept well today. To bed at 2:00 and up at 5:30? Why, that's half an hour more than yesterday!"  
  
"Can it, Dizz," Kenny mumbled.  
  
"Well aren't we cheery this fine mor-"  
  
"I said to can it!" Kenny said, irritated. Dizzi shut up. "Now back to work."  
  
"Chief, I-"  
  
"I don't want to hear it, Dizzi. Honestly, can't we just get down to business?"  
  
"That's my point, chief. We've covered everything in my entire database - several times - and we've still got nothing. And you need some sleep, chief, like it or not. Coffee just ain't gonna cut it anymore."  
  
Kenny sighed deeply. "I guess so, Dizzi. Coffee has a horrid aftertaste, anyways..."  
  
"You bet, kiddo. Thirteen-year-olds thrive on sugar and soda pop, not coffee. Leave that until you're middle-aged; by then you'll be addicted."  
  
"Hey, I'm NEARLY fourteen!" Kenny suppressed a yawn. "Well, guess I'll catch up on some sleep now..."  
  
And he did.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Rei, Tyson and Hilary were all sitting in the foot or so of icy water, still laughing as they had been for the longest time, although they were completely exhausted from mirth.  
  
"My sides hurt," Tyson said, laughing and coughing at the same time. He and Rei had stripped down to their boxer shorts. Hilary had taken off her pink sweater, and they were now feebly attempting to wring out their soggy, drenched clothes, with no such luck.  
  
"Screw this," Rei grinned, giving up on drying the clothes. "These clothes will only weigh us down." Tyson and Hilary gave him *disturbed* looks, and a blush immediately spread across his face. "Wet clothes! Heavy, soaking wet clothes! Ugh, you know what I meant..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah Rei. I concur! Let's all go streaking downtown..." Tyson laughed. Hilary was giggling and blushing furiously (who wouldn't, with two guys in boxers?) "We would be so free and... natural," Tyson laughed cockily.  
  
"Tyson!" Rei and Hilary simultaneously splashed Tyson in the face.  
  
"Hey, I thought the water war was over!" Tyson said, finding it hard to breathe between the water and the uncontrollable laughter. "Guys?! Hey, quit it! Come on..." he splashed back, and they began round two of the water fight.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Max, we have to get out of here," Kai's voice sounded slightly on edge. The water was rising, and was now almost at their knees.  
  
"What's the point..."  
  
"Max!" Kai gritted his teeth in frustration. "The water is rising."  
  
"Yeah. I'm aware of that, Kai." Max wasn't looking at him. He was inanimate, and spoke to nobody although his words said otherwise.  
  
"Max, we'll all drown unless you get a grip and move." Kai's calm voice betrayed his worry. It wasn't so much that he was afraid of drowning in the maze, which would have anyone panicky. He was more afraid for Max.  
  
"I know." Max's lifeless voice had less emotion than Kai's own. "Go ahead."  
  
"Max, don't be a total moron. You know we won't leave without you." Kai's eyes seemed to flash warningly. Max didn't reply. "We've already wasted too much time. We need to go now."  
  
Rei, Tyson and Hilary were deep into their water fight. Laughing hysterically despite being extremely cold and wet, they didn't even notice Kai approach. In fact, they only noticed he was there after they had completely drenched him by splashing.  
  
Kai stood, soaked and cold, a vein throbbing on his forehead anime-style. "Eheheh... hey there, Kai? What's chillin'?" Tyson put his hand on the back of his head. The three of them all had extremely large cheesy grins on.  
  
"We have to get going, and fast. If you hadn't noticed, which is quite likely, you'll realise the water level is significantly higher than it was when we first stopped." They stood up, and found that it was indeed a good few inches deeper.  
  
They all blinked in surprise. Rei especially was shocked that he hadn't caught on earlier. *meep* "Whoa... we better get going! Oh, how's Max?"  
  
"...See for yourself," Kai said quietly. Max was still standing in the same position, his back to them. They could feel the negative feelings Max seemed to radiate.  
  
"Oh..." Hilary looked sad, along with the others. They knew the pressure had crushed Max's spirit without asking. The faces that had been laughing and grinning just seconds ago had fallen.  
  
"Look. We have to get out of here," Kai said firmly. He had to be cool and in control, since quite obviously the others wouldn't take that role under depressing circumstances.  
  
The others nodded, and they ran to where Max was standing. "Max!" Tyson cried out. "Hey, what's wrong, buddy?" Max didn't reply. Tyson waved his hand in front of Max's face, then realised Max's eyes weren't seeing. They were glazed over, lost in memories.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Max's mind was spinning, flooded with memories. Voices and images flashed in his mind, none of them good. How many times had he let someone down? Too many, especially all remembered in a sequence at once. So many times he had let opportunity slip through his fingers. All his fault...  
  
His parents fought. They fought and it hurt... they fought because of him. He had caused the divorce. They kept telling him it wasn't his fault, but he knew otherwise. They tried so hard to conceal it, but there was more underneath the blonde than anyone saw.  
  
Painful days spent alone, nights spent crying with nobody to console him... but he hid it from the world. Hidden beneath a mask of happiness, his sad self lay.  
  
"Max! Hey Max!" Their voices were blurred in the chaos of bleak memories. He paid no mind.  
  
Max had a disturbing look of insanity and depression in his eyes, and whispered to himself, "Drowning wouldn't be so bad..."  
  
^^^^^^  
  
"MAX!" The Bladebreakers had heard his trance-like whisper. They stared, appalled at what he had just said.  
  
That's when Hilary did something surprising. She slapped Max straight across the face, and hard. He seemed to awaken from his trance. A bright red imprint of Hilary's hand immediately showed on his face.  
  
"Eep! Sorry Max!! I really didn't mean for it to be that hard! Honestly, I'm sooo sorry..." Hilary frantically tried to apologise, but she soon realised he had barely felt the pain. It was nothing compared to the pain he felt inside.  
  
"The water is rising quickly. We have to go now," Kai said calmly but firmly.  
  
Max didn't make an effort to move. Rei sighed. "This is for your own good, Max." He lifted Max up off the ground and started to carry him. "Let's go."  
  
The blue-eyed boy stared blankly ahead. He didn't make an effort to protest or to help out. He was again lost in a sequence of nightmares.  
  
Max lost consciousness at some point while Rei was carrying him. He had given up the will to live.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hey Kenny!" Kenny swung around to see an energetic blur of turquoise and pink heading straight for him.  
  
"Aaah!" Kenny cowered in terror, but laughed as he realised what it was. "Oh, hey Zeo!"  
  
"Any news on Tyson and the others?" The boy (or android, rather), was jumping up and down with excitement. His long hair whipped Kenny in the face.  
  
"Ow- no, nothing." Kenny's face seemed dejected. Zeo's happy face quickly fell as well.  
  
"Darn. I really hope they're okay!" Zeo smiled.  
  
"Of course, I do too. You wouldn't imagine..." Kenny trailed off, lost in thought.  
  
"So, um, what exactly happened? I heard on the news and stuff that you were captured, but nothing really about what happened." Zeo's eyes shone as he begged for the story from Kenny himself.  
  
Kenny debated whether to tell Zeo or not. Zeo was pretty innocent, and might not want to hear it all. And Kenny certainly hated to relive the nightmare. But he finally decided to tell him everything. "Well, Zeo... I guess you deserve to know. Sit down, 'cause it's gonna be long. It happened like this..." and Kenny started to tell Zeo everything.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Rei was lagging far behind, even though the others were walking at a slow pace. They had been going for what felt like hours. Rei was, needless to say, completely exhausted. He was carrying an unconscious Max, who was about the same weight as him, and was wading through knee-deep water. And his clothes were weighing him down.  
  
Kai, as well, was completely drained. His battle for their lives had taken its toll and he was struggling to stay awake. He hadn't been asleep like the others. He was in pain.  
  
"I'm thirsty," Tyson said, cupping some water in his hands.  
  
"Don't drink it, Tyson. It's salt-water." Kai said warningly.  
  
"You mean you've tried it?" Tyson asked.  
  
"No. But it stings like hell," Kai smirked, despite the pain. "And I don't know, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to be drinking blood." He had severe open wounds from the beybattle which were still bleeding, and were stinging in the salt water.  
  
The others blinked, and then immediately rushed to offer anything they had available as bandages for his wounds, which he refused.  
  
"Don't be silly!" Hilary scolded, only making him smile slightly.  
  
"Believe me, I'm fine." The others looked at him, not believing his words. "I've handled much worse. Anyway, your salt-water-soaked garments wouldn't be helping much."  
  
"But-"Tyson interjected.  
  
"Let's keep moving on," Kai interrupted before he could say anything else. 'I don't know if we can make it,' he thought in his mind. 'But there's no way I'm giving up. We have to keep going.'  
  
"Hey Rei, buddy! Give yourself a break and let me carry Max," Tyson offered. Rei smiled and gratefully let Tyson carry Max.  
  
"Thanks, man. I don't think I could have lasted much longer," Rei answered truthfully.  
  
Another hour or so passed, and the water level was increasing rapidly. It was past their thighs now, and was incredibly hard to walk through.  
  
"Uh... do you think we could have a really short break?" Rei collapsed exhaustedly, splashing them all. He quickly staggered to get air into his lungs.  
  
"Sure thing, buddy. We totally need one," Tyson admitted. He was exhausted as well.  
  
Rei took a deep breath and fell back under. He stayed under for at least a minute, which worried the others, especially Hilary. She gently tapped him on the shoulder, and he resurfaced and took a gasp of air.  
  
"Thanks, Hil. I probably would have drifted off down there... it's so tranquil and calming." He smiled, but fatigue showed through.  
  
Hilary looked a little uneasy at Rei's response. "So how's Max?" she asked, still a little freaked.  
  
"Still won't wake up," Tyson said. They had tried before a few times, but with no success. He was too deep in his subconscious realm. Occasionally he would shift or stir in nightmarish fits, but that was all.  
  
Kai stood a little ways away from the others. He was panting heavily, and was on the verge of collapsing. The only thing keeping him from staying conscious was his determination... and the pain from his wounds.  
  
He waited for one of the others to propose starting to trudge through the salty water again. He knew they would have to go now in order to make it close to the exit, but didn't want to draw attention to himself. He knew he looked completely worn out and beaten, and it took all he had just to stay above the tempting water.  
  
Sure enough, Hilary suggested they start moving again. "I know you must be completely exhausted and all... but I really think we should get going! We won't have a chance of escaping if we wait too long..."  
  
"Yeah, she's right," Rei moaned reluctantly. Tyson groaned. He was completely sore all over, as was Rei.  
  
"Come on, guys! Just think of it as intense training," Hilary smiled slightly in an attempt to lift their spirits.  
  
"Yeah... I guess I have to thank you guys for putting us through that torture. Otherwise we wouldn't have made it close to this far," Tyson smiled in the same manner as Hilary - a slight, fake smile. Not fake in the sense that he didn't mean it, but it wasn't because he was happy, rather he was trying to encourage his friends.  
  
They continued to walk, slowly through the water. It was hard enough walking normally, but in water...  
  
Tyson finally couldn't bear Max's burden anymore. "I'm sorry... but I can barely take another step," he said exhaustedly. His friends weren't disappointed at all, and were even surprised he could take Max for that long. Only he was angry with himself for not being able to carry Max for longer.  
  
"Max... wake up!" Hilary cried desperately, but he didn't stir. "Max! Wake up NOW! We're depending on you! Please, come on..." He didn't move at all. One could have mistaken him for dead. She even slapped him again in desperation, but he didn't budge. "Oh, I give up..."  
  
Hilary was stubborn, and wouldn't stop trying. "Max! I dunno if you can hear me, but if you can you MUST get up! Rei and Tyson have carried you for hours, and they are absolutely exhausted. They can't possibly carry you any further. And Kai... oh Kai!" She ran over to the weakened blader, thrusting Max towards Rei, who nearly collapsed under the weight.  
  
"Here we go," he muttered under his breath to himself, nearly slapping himself for letting his fatigue show, especially to Hilary. Tyson and Rei laughed silently at his remark.  
  
"Oh my gosh Kai! Are you okay? You need rest! Should we take a break?" Hilary smothered him like an overprotective mother.  
  
"No," he said rather bluntly. He glanced at Rei and Tyson who were killing themselves trying to stifle their laughter.  
  
"Are you s-"  
  
"Yes," he said before she even asked the question. He rolled his eyes as a huge splash was heard. Tyson and Rei had started laughing out loud; they couldn't contain it any longer.  
  
Hilary's overprotective, motherly nature was funny in some aspects. But deep down, it felt strange... a good strange, though... to Kai. He had never had someone care for him before. In fact, he hadn't even cared for himself. He smiled inwardly.  
  
"I suppose I'll carry Max, seeing that you two already have done more than your fair share of work, and are completely exhausted," Kai said coolly, trudging over to where Max was, trying to shake off his previous thoughts.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Hilary cried out instinctively. "In your shape you can't even lift him!" Kai knew it was true, and reluctantly accepted it, sighing wearily. "What are we gonna do..." Hilary pondered. "I'll carry Max myself!"  
  
They looked at her strangely. "Er... you're not serious, Hil," Tyson asked, or stated rather.  
  
"And why not?" she asked indignantly. She walked over and attempted to heave Max onto her back... with great difficulty. She shrieked as she splashed headfirst into the water. Tyson snickered; he liked proving himself right. Rei just sweat-dropped, and tried to help her back up. Kai just watched indifferently.  
  
She gasped for air, and immediately tried again. She fell back into the water again. She kept on trying though, since she was not one to give up.  
  
"Well at least the water breaks Max's fall; otherwise he would be hitting that cement real hard. That makes one positive, among the gigantic amount of negatives," Rei said above the loud splashing of water, Hilary's shrieks and mutterings, and Tyson's sniggering and taunting.  
  
^^^^^  
  
They had made little progress the last few hours. Hilary had finally been able to half carry - half drag Max... extremely slowly.  
  
"See? I told you I could do it!" Hilary shouted again to Tyson for the tenth time.  
  
"No, you didn't, though. You're half dragging him through the water," Tyson retorted.  
  
"Yeah? Well at least we're getting somewhere!"  
  
"Yeah, at the speed of... a piece of bread," Tyson said randomly.  
  
"Don't be stupid! Bread doesn't even move!"  
  
"Well duh, Hilary. That's my point."  
  
"Hey! We have so made progress," Hilary said stubbornly.  
  
Kai sighed, glancing wearily back at Dranzer's scratch in the wall directly behind them that he had made at least 5 minutes ago.  
  
"Sure we have," Tyson rolled his eyes. "We've gone nowhere!"  
  
"Hey, at least I'm trying," Hilary pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, I've gotta admit. It's been great, having a really nice, slow long break and all. Too bad we're gonna drown now!"  
  
"Hey, Tyson. Cut it out, will you?" Rei interrupted. He, too, was irritated at their lack of progress, but couldn't stand to hear the hopelessness of his friends. Rei never lost hope, no matter the circumstances.  
  
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that, Rei," Tyson sighed. "I'm just sort of... nervous. Yeah, I admit I'm freaked. The water just keeps coming faster and faster! It's already almost up to my neck..."  
  
"I know, me too," Rei said solemnly. "And I don't think I can swim right now."  
  
"Me neither," Tyson said. They were still completely exhausted, barely able to walk. To be honest, Hilary's pace was about right for them. Soon, it would be past their mouths. It was sink or swim... and in their case it would surely be sink.  
  
Hilary suddenly let out a strangled gasp. She dropped Max, and fainted. Kai managed to barely support Max, and Tyson, struggling, held Hilary in his arms. Rei shivered violently, although nobody seemed to notice.  
  
"Hilary... Hilary are you okay?" Tyson whispered softly, worriedly. His brow was furrowed with frustration, as he didn't understand what was happening.  
  
Her mahogany eyes slowly fluttered open. She looked rather dazed and flushed. "Tyson... I saw... Draciel -- it was sad, crying. Warning... and scared..." her fragments of sentences were rather incoherent. She shivered, which felt strange to Tyson. She was in his arms.  
  
Tears fell from the eyes of Draciel. It was crying to her - to Hilary. It was scared, and frightened for its master. It was warning her, pleading for help. And now... she felt sick again. It had actually happened before - when she had chased Tyson with a broom after school. Dragoon seemed to have called to her... and she had lost consciousness.  
  
"Draciel?" Kai asked. She nodded. "So Draciel was calling to you... for help. He must be worried about Max. Trying to tell you something-- Rei!" Kai's normally cold voice showed concern and slight panic. He had finally noticed him, shaking and fearful. He had turned pale and his skin slightly blue with the cold, which contrasted with his raven hair.  
  
His light brown eyes slowly opened. His breathing was shaky, as was his shivering body. Kai put a hand on his bare shoulder, and it literally felt like ice. No wonder he was shivering like crazy. "Rei, what happened," Kai asked.  
  
"I... it was Max..." Rei said, still freezing cold. His teeth were chattering slightly, but he continued. "And he was lost... in the shadows of his mind. And... I'm scared for him. It was like he was trying to escape, but couldn't run away from his nightmares. I want to reach out to him... and I guess I did..."  
  
His long hair was icy and frozen, and looked like it could break off with a snap. Rei staggered, and leant on Kai for support. Kai tensed as Rei's ice cold body made contact with his skin. Kai glanced at Rei's fingertips and could actually see frost upon them. He could feel him shaking.  
  
Kai frowned. "How did this happen?" he asked, gesturing at Rei's frost- covered hands.  
  
"Huh? Ugh, it feels like I've been frostbitten... Frosted fingers," he smiled with slight amusement at the gruesome statement. "But I'm not sure what exactly happened... all of a sudden I felt cold - and nausea - wash over me in a torrent of nightmares emotions. I dunno, it was like I had just taken all of the cold and sad feelings for Max..."  
  
Kai tried to make out the best he could of Rei's somewhat incoherent ramblings. "So how do you feel right now?" he asked, his eyes narrowed. He had a suspicion of what the answer would be.  
  
"Uh... cold," Rei laughed feebly. "But not just in the physical sense. I can feel the cold of his heart and soul. The cold within, in the form of hatred and sadness... I feel alone and sad. I know, it doesn't make sense-"  
  
"It makes perfect sense to me," Kai interrupted. "Max's emotions of sadness and emptiness were somehow transferred to you. And I think it was Draciel's doing."  
  
"Wow, that makes sense... in a twisted, contorted way," Tyson said. "What I don't get is why he sorta talked to Hilary, and then dumped this on Rei."  
  
"I'm not sure. Maybe it has something to do with Hilary's sensitivity towards bit-beasts." The others understood what he meant. Even when she hadn't believed in bit-beasts, she could sort of feel their presence. "And Rei, well he has a miraculous bond with Driger. I think maybe that and his emotional aspect on things, not to mention his determination and willingness to help contributed to his-"  
  
"Hey, you don't have to talk like we aren't here," Rei said. "But I think that's right. I just don't give up, and I just can't sit by and watch. I guess I sort of knew what was going on in his head, and wanted to help out. I guess I actually did."  
  
With that, he collapsed and his weight fully shifted onto Kai. His slim frame trembled in his subconscious manner. The ice crystals in his lashes started to slowly melt, giving the impression of tears. He appeared to by crying for Max.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"So, how's it going?" Zeo's long hair whipped around as he bounced up and down anxiously.  
  
"Hey, calm down, Zeo. I think I can do this! Maybe half an hour..." Kenny was typing frantically into Dizzi's gigantic network.  
  
Zeo had come up with a scheme. Maybe Kenny would be able to hack into the scientist's database. It was possible, with the newly found information Zeo had discovered.  
  
Dr K, the beautiful henchwoman had been fired from Zagart's corporation before the second world championships. And, apparently now, she had joined no other than...  
  
"Supposedly he calls himself Dr D now," Zeo had explained to Kenny. "Sadly, he can't even remember his own name..."  
  
So perhaps if Kenny could hack into one of Dr K's computers, he would be able to do something. He was desperate now - anything to help out his friends would be good enough.  
  
Kenny suddenly gave a squeal of delight. "I did it! I managed to get past the immense security systems! Now... let's see. This is the best I can do. Now uploading Mr Dickenson's original training plan. 17% done, 31%, 43%, 62%, 79%... 37%? Oh, never mind that's an 87... and DONE!"  
  
Kenny and Zeo started screaming with delight. "We did it! Oh yeah! You are the best, Kenny! We... uh what exactly did you do, Kenny?"  
  
Kenny sweat-dropped. "Basically, we put in place of Dr D's next demented scheme Mr Dickenson's original plan!"  
  
"Oh! That's great! I think..." Zeo smiled.  
  
"Is it ever, boy," Dizzi said cheerfully. "And according to this they are all alive."  
  
"Yes!" Kenny laughed giddily. "Um... but in what condition?"  
  
"Oh... oh dear," Dizzi's tone seemed to become as anxious as a computer could. "Cover your ears, Zeo, 'cause this won't be pretty."  
  
"AIEEE!!" Kenny screamed in the girliest manner Zeo had ever heard. [Like in the first eppy of G-Rev! ^_~] Zeo looked frightened, both for the Bladebreakers and from Kenny's insanely high-pitched cry.  
  
"Um... what's wrong?" Zeo asked nervously.  
  
"Oh, where to start," Dizzi said dryly. Her screen showed an IMMENSE amount of data, and Zeo didn't understand any of it. "Well first of all, they seem absolutely exhausted, all of them. They seem to have been walking for maybe 12 hours since waking, longer for Kai. Max and Rei aren't conscious at the moment. Hilary has a fever and is barely awake, having just recovered from fainting. Tyson is incredibly worn, and Kai is in critical condition. There seem to be deep gashes covering his body, and he is on the verge of losing consciousness. In fact, according to statistics he should have a few hours ago, but that's our Kai. Still holding in."  
  
Zeo and Kenny looked extremely frightened. Finally, Kenny spoke up. "So... those fragments really were the remains of a blade smashed up by Dranzer? That would explain the deep gashes. Rei got a really deep one similar, I think, from a beyblade, so it's logical it happened in the same way."  
  
"Correctamundo, chief. And get this. While Hilary is above normal temperature with a fever, Rei's body temperature is just about at freezing." As Dizzi said this, a window popped up. It read 'recent update: pictures'.  
  
"Huh? Open those," Zeo said anxiously. When the files opened up on Dizzi's screen, they gasped in horror.  
  
First was Tyson. He looked absolutely exhausted. They had gasped at the fact that there was water up to his chin. He was holding Hilary close to him, her head resting on his shoulder. "T. Granger" was printed neatly in the corner of the picture. There were a few other pictures - close ups, different views. His face was grim and fatigued. His brown eyes were worried and worn.  
  
"Oh no," Zeo whispered. "This is terrible!"  
  
"No doubt about that, Zeo," Kenny said, sadly. Unfortunately, Tyson was in the best shape of the five. He opened another file, and there was an assortment of pictures, all different angles of Max.  
  
Max was unconscious, just barely being propped up by Kai. His face was petrified, hurt and depressed. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes were shut tightly. His blond hair seemed to have lost its sheen, and hung limply in his deathlike face.  
  
"Oh no... Max... what d'you think happened, Kenny?" Zeo asked.  
  
"Not a clue, Zeo. It appears he's physically fine... but from the look on his face I don't think he's okay emotionally." Zeo nodded. Kenny opened another file, this time of Hilary.  
  
Her damp chocolate hair framed her pale yet flushed face. Her chestnut eyes were slightly open, and seemed unfocused and hazy. She was most definitely unwell with a fever.  
  
"And medication's beyond their reach, too," Dizzi said somewhat sympathetically. Kenny and Zeo were at loss for words. A file with pictures of Kai opened. Kenny let out another high-pitched girly scream. This time, neither Dizzi nor Zeo said anything about Kenny's scream.  
  
Kenny felt queasy at the sight of blood and pain, and there most definitely was in Kai. Horrid deep slashes covered his body, and he looked in tremendous agony and exhaustion. He was collapsing under the weight of both Max and Rei, and his eyes seemed to be struggling to stay open. His teeth were gritted as he fought to keep going. The blood was still flowing from the morning's events now, at night, after not being able to be stitched up or even bandaged.  
  
"Oh my gosh..." Zeo moaned, definitely traumatised by the pictures. "This is atrocious!" Kenny merely nodded, still wide-eyed and scared at the sight. He quickly opened up the last file, which happened to be of Rei.  
  
Kenny fainted.  
  
Zeo took a peek for himself at Dizzi's screen. He, too, was appalled at what he saw, but the abnormality presented a conundrum so enthralling he couldn't look away.  
  
Rei's face and entire body was a tint of blue. His hair was covered in what looked like, but Zeo couldn't believe, was frost or ice. His fingertips undeniably had frost on them, scarily both ghastly white and blue at the same time. On his face appeared to be frozen tears.  
  
^^^^^  
  
END OF CHAPPIE  
  
Okay, I know it was a strange place to end, but hey! Review!! Please! It makes me smile... and encourages me to write more!  
  
=D Yes, Zeo played a part! I didn't want Kenny to feel so alone =(. And of course, he intertwines the two plots, somewhat. Well, that's all for now!  
  
Please review!! Thankies!  
  
~ Penguin Pop ^_^ 


	15. False Impressions

Thankies for the awesome reviews!! ^_^  
  
Yes, Kenny is the comic relief. I mean, a high-strung, freakish nerd with no eyes? Yes, he doesn't try to be funny but he is, in that sad way. Laughing at, not with, you know? Sadly, it's the way it works.  
  
I've come to realise that, this being my first fic and all, my writing has improved a lot from when I first started! Wouldn't you agree? I think that partially comes with the support and help from all my reviewers. So I'd like to again thank everyone that has reviewed!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, obviously.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 15: False Impressions  
  
The water was rising rapidly, at an exponential rate. It was already at their mouths, and unfortunately for them none of them were in any condition to swim.  
  
They had stopped walking, and now were trying to keep Hilary, Max and Rei within reach of air. It was difficult, when you yourself are hanging onto consciousness by a thread of hope that's been frayed and tattered. And now, it was gone. "Hilary..." Tyson said softly, holding her close.  
  
"Hilary... I'll miss you..." Tyson said quietly, just before the water cut him off.  
  
"And I'll miss you too, Tyson," Hilary murmured, and with that, they collapsed and fell beneath the beckoning darkness of the water.  
  
Cool grey eyes watched, seemingly apathetic but hid many thoughts and feelings. He took a last breath, and let the pain wash over him, his body sinking and unaware. He had fallen alone.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Chief!" Dizzi cried frantically. "You should... see this..." her digital voice trailed off. She opened an email from "Dr D", and found highly disturbing pictures inside. Not disturbing as in pornography... this was much, much worse.  
  
Kenny leant over and pushed his glasses up. The colour drained from his face as he saw the screen. The limp bodies of the Bladebreakers lay lifelessly under the deathly water. "Oh, god, no..." he whispered, tears leaking down his face. "This... is my fault."  
  
"Chief, it was most definitely not your fault," Dizzi said sternly. "They did firewall it, not allowing us any further access. You couldn't have done anything." Somehow, even her computerised voice managed to sound sympathetic.  
  
"So... I guess our help was nothing at all," Kenny whispered. "We were assuming they would make it through this last scenario, and make it to Mr Dickenson's original training place, which would be a deserted house in the middle of nowhere... but we knew where it was located. I suppose we better contact Mr D to tell him to retreat the troops waiting for their arrival," Kenny whispered hoarsely, choked from crying.  
  
The psychopath had actually sent these pictures to Kenny's laptop... confirmation for Kenny that his friends were gone forever. It wasn't like losing a best friend... it was far worse. Kenny had lost his five best friends in the world, and now... he had nothing. Destroying his hope, Kenny was left to bleed all alone.  
  
Kenny walked slowly towards the BBA building, tears rolling down his cheeks. He kept his head down, and wore a black hat and overcoat not to be noticed. He couldn't possibly tell anyone yet... he doubted he could bear to tell Mr Dickenson. Of course, he had to. His mind was racing at a billion miles an hour with thoughts of horror, tragedy, misery and everything else bad in the world.  
  
When he reached the dreaded building, he slowly trudged up the stairs, wandering through the halls. He slowly wiped away his tears, and entered the office.  
  
"Hello Kenny! I'm glad you've come. Your plan is in place, we've sent a rescue mission for when they arrive at the designated training station."  
  
"You meant IF," Kenny choked. "And... it won't happen. Look at this," Kenny whispered hoarsely, and opened up the pictures of the Bladebreakers' lifeless carcasses. The old man's eyes widened with terror and disgust.  
  
Tears glistened in his eyes. "I can't believe he would do such a thing... I know he wasn't in his right mind... but this? Oh... I'm so sorry. This is my fault," Mr Dickenson trailed off as the tears spoke for him. He took off his hat and they bowed their heads in the empty silence.  
  
"I... suppose I better call off the rescue mission," Mr Dickenson said softly after a long vow of silence. He picked up the phone and dialled a number, but Kenny wasn't listening. He was still in deep meditation and grievance.  
  
"Retreat. It's over," Mr Dickenson said bitterly into the phone, and hung up. He walked out of the door, and hoped sincerely not to be bothered by reporters and such. Kenny silently followed out of the office, allowing Mr Dickenson to lock up. Suddenly, Kenny turned and ran.  
  
He had nowhere to run to, nowhere to go, but he ran anyway. His life was over... there was no point. Maybe he should commit suicide, and be with his friends. He was better off dead.  
  
He finally found himself at the lookout, Kai's contemplation place. Or, what used to be. He stared longingly into the distance, and found it tempting and inviting. With one action, he would end this. "I'm so sorry I couldn't help you. But perhaps my reasons were vain... because I'm lost without you," he whispered.  
  
^^^^^  
  
[Flashback]  
  
Max knew it had been coming, and had waited for it, almost longingly. "Come on, take my life," he challenged Death, whispering with a slight smile.  
  
"Max!" A voice interrupted his dark thoughts. He could see a clear image of Rei, among the hazy and blurred darkness of his mind.  
  
"Rei?" Max whispered, frowning. Rei was too real to be an illusion. This was reality. "What do you think you're doing?" he whispered, almost venomously.  
  
"Max... I just wanted to help," Rei said, meaning every word.  
  
"I don't think you can," Max confessed. "I don't think I can get out of this mess."  
  
"Then let me help," Rei whispered, and suddenly the darkness seemed to lift. His cold, sad feelings seemed to leave, and warmth spread in his heart. Rei indeed had lifted his spirits, and gave him the friendship and encouragement to carry on.  
  
He opened his mouth to talk to his friend, but Rei had left. "Thank you, Rei," he said mentally. "But I don't know if I can go back..."  
  
He sat in silence, alone, contemplating. He still wasn't sure if he could face reality... and what was the point? They were going to die anyway. If only they had left him behind, it would have been so much easier. They might have made it out if it weren't for him.  
  
[Present]  
  
His mind was suddenly overwhelmed by a bright, purple glow. The brilliant light comforted him as thoughts entered his mind that were not his own.  
  
Was this really how he would go? Should he not have at least tried to help out, instead of burden them with his weight? Would he let them down now? Could he even do anything? Yes... he could.  
  
Bright blue eyes suddenly opened, long after the others had closed. He was finally 'alive' again. "Draciel!" he mouthed, although he had no air in his lungs.  
  
A strange sensation in the form of a glowing purple blur took on a non- distinctive form that was Draciel. Bright, purple light shone through the murky waters slightly tinted with blood. The light seemed to expand and get brighter and brighter, until a blinding light seemed to explode and fill the entire area.  
  
When the light faded into an ember of a glow in Max's bit, there wasn't a trace of the maze left. The cement walls were gone, the water was gone, and Max's depression had vanished.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Max slowly opened his eyes after being knocked out by the explosion of light. He coughed up a ton of water, the saltiness felt sickening. He felt dazed and uncoordinated after being unconscious for so long. He stumbled to get up, feeling a little nauseous. He smiled despite himself; it hadn't been a dream. He had actually saved them... 'Thanks, Draciel,' he said mentally.  
  
Bewildered blue eyes stared at what lay in front of him... a small little house in the middle of nowhere. "No way," he whispered in awe. He rubbed his eyes, out of habit more than anything. "Huh?"  
  
He snapped his head up to see something in the distance. A helicopter, it seemed, but was too far to tell and was progressively getting further and further. "Darn it!" he yelled as the helicopter vanished from view. He sighed, and glanced at his friends. He gasped.  
  
Luckily for him, they had all started to choke and cough up the saltwater that filled their lungs. They were still alive, although barely. After they had got the dreadful water out of their system they took deep, shaky breaths of air, still coughing and choking, and fell unconscious once more.  
  
Max, shaken but relieved, decided to look around. Walking in the house, he discovered it was similar to Tyson's dojo. It wasn't exactly modern, but clean and pretty, equipped with essential needs. It was perfect, in his opinion.  
  
"So what's the catch," Max asked suspiciously, waiting for some sort of answer from the (literally) mad scientist. He looked around - there was no speaker, camera, anything remotely suspicious.  
  
There didn't appear to be any sort of technology whatsoever. However, it was really nice. The house seemed extremely new. Max figured it had been specially made for their 'training'. It was small yet spacious, since there was barely any furniture. The furniture was simple and somewhat modern.  
  
There were a TON of novels, papers and textbooks. "I wonder what this is all about," he said softly, before noticing a letter on the table.  
  
He opened it up and began to read. "Dear Bladebreakers, welcome to your next challenge. I trust the maze allowed you to have some time to bond further -"Max's eyes narrowed. 'Yeah right, sick joke there,' he said mentally.  
  
"Now you will be stranded here for a month-"'A month?!' Max gasped, but continued reading. "During this month you will study intensely and catch up on your schoolwork, as well as bond and have fun together. Your teacher had previously requested of me to catch you children up on your grades that were falling due to your beyblading - we couldn't have that, so I'm afraid this session is necessary. Fortunately, there are productive ways of having fun that will build character. Have fun, signed Mr Dickenson. PS Kenny and Hilary - your grades are still wonderful. Your job here is to teach them."  
  
"You have GOT to be kidding," Max said aloud. "Kenny? Kenny got to go home... oh, the date! I dunno the date, but I do know this letter is dated to maybe a month or so ago. Strange... and it's from Mr Dickenson. This seems so... trivial compared to that evil scientist's things. I mean, failing grades? That's nothing compared to, you know, death, pain and torture... I wonder why all of a sudden it's Mr Dickenson's tame program instead of the doctor's evil, corrupted morbid plans? Maybe... Kenny!"  
  
Max smiled. He knew Kenny was probably behind this. But, then, why hadn't they just sent someone to come and save them? Surely Mr Dickenson knew the co-ordinates of this house. Maybe they just didn't think that far ahead. Or... maybe they did, after all Max had seen the helicopter. Maybe they had given up on them? Regardless, Max was grateful.  
  
He went outside again. He had to explain everything to someone. "Kai?" he asked slowly, shaking him lightly. Grey eyes struggled to open, but did so abruptly. He started to cough violently, making Max nervous.  
  
He groaned wearily, exhausted. "You did it, Max," he managed to smile. Max grinned back. "So, what's happening now?"  
  
Max started to talk faster than Kai believed possible, in a whirlwind of events, emotions and happiness. Kai nodded after Max had finished, absorbing everything that had just happened compressed into a couple minutes. Max took a few deep breaths after talking seemingly without breaks for a few minutes. 'Looks like Max is back,' Kai thought to himself with a smile.  
  
Kai walked into the house, mildly impressed. He walked into the bedroom that contained 6 individual beds all placed together in a row. He flopped exhausted onto the soft, comfortable bed and seemed to sink into it like it was a giant pillow, and his fears seemed to sink as well. He buried himself in the soft, warm blanket. He fell asleep instantly, and when Max walked in to find him a minute later he was in a deep, peaceful, well-deserved sleep.  
  
Max smiled, and walked outside to wake another of his friends. However, he was having trouble. Tyson, undoubtedly, wouldn't wake up, even after Max yelled "breakfast!" in his ear. Hilary wouldn't wake either. She seemed under-the-weather. He gave up and tried to wake Rei, and only then discovered how frozen he was.  
  
"Rei!!" The teen was still deathly pale, and when Max put a hand to his face he yelped with shock. His hair still had ice shards in it. Max suddenly felt guilt sink in - this was his fault. Rei opened his eyes slowly as if in response to his last thoughts. "I'm sorry... you shouldn't have done it!" Max yelled.  
  
"No, Max," Rei whispered, then sat up and tried to find his voice. "I wanted to... it was my choice. I'm so glad you managed to pull through for us. I always believed you could do it, even when the others lost hope," he smiled. He tried to suppress a shiver, but didn't succeed.  
  
Max briefly told Rei of their situation, not wanting to go into too much detail. Rei nodded, still shivering slightly even though it was warm out. The weather was fairy-tale-like: pleasantly warm, almost hot, but not boiling.  
  
He slowly got to his feet, still sluggish and uncoordinated. He tried to shake off the lethargic feeling but it wouldn't leave him, so he instead decided to go to bed. He felt like a reptile - slowed from the cold. He shivered again and started to walk inside, thinking of nice, warm blankets, and DRY clothes. Despite the frigid feeling, he felt chillingly hot at the same time. 'Great,' he thought to himself, realising the symptoms of sickness.  
  
He walked into the bedroom, and smiled to himself as he saw Kai fast asleep. 'He deserves it,' he thought. He opened the closet doors, quietly so he wouldn't wake Kai. Not that he would likely wake, since he was so tired, but Kai DID wake easily.  
  
He tiredly grabbed one of the outfits set for him. It was in the same style as his current neo-traditional Chinese outfit, but Rei didn't pay too much attention to it through his increasingly blurred and fatigued state.  
  
He went into one of the two bathrooms and stripped off his wet, heavy clothes. It felt so much better. He put on the new, fresh clothes and crawled into the nearest bed. He was still shivering violently, so he grabbed all the blankets and sheets off all of the beds (except for the one Kai was using) and smothered himself in their soft, warm goodness.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Kenny?" a voice questioned, seeing the boy sobbing uncontrollably under the bridge. "What happened?" he demanded.  
  
Kenny choked on his tears. "Tyson... the others... they're--"he started bawling again. He didn't have to finish that sentence for Ozuma.  
  
"How can you be sure," Ozuma asked, although his tone was shocked and grieving. Kenny, as an answer, pulled out his laptop and showed him THE pictures. Ozuma's piercing green eyes widened and he faltered. "What kind of cruel joke..."  
  
"This is no joke, Ozuma," Kenny said bitterly. "This is for REAL. They are dead. We have to face it," he spat angrily. "But I just can't bring myself to..." he whispered softly, tears coming again.  
  
Kenny felt a hand on his shoulder, consoling him. "We grieve for them, my friend. But don't be sad... they wouldn't have wanted that," he said, trying to blink back the tears in his own eyes.  
  
"I can't live with this," Kenny whispered. "You know, just now I was thinking of suicide... I don't know why I'm telling you this. But please, leave me alone and let me die."  
  
Ozuma looked appalled. "Yeah right, Kenny. Don't you DARE... they would never forgive you. Suicide is the coward's way out, you know. You should be strong for them... like they were."  
  
"I don't deserve to live," Kenny whispered. "I am weak. I couldn't help them, and never did. I was just their shadow. But no longer... when they are gone, their shadow will also fade."  
  
Ozuma looked scared at the desolate response. "Don't be stupid. You did more than help them. You were a part of the team, and still are."  
  
"I couldn't do anything to save them. I tried my hardest, but failed," Kenny still mumbled as if in a trance.  
  
"I didn't either, so do you think I 'deserve' to die, now?" Ozuma was getting frustrated now.  
  
"It's not the same... you couldn't have done anything-"  
  
"And neither could you," Ozuma snapped. "Now you get some needed rest. I will inform the other Saint-Shields of this tragedy."  
  
Kenny began to protest. "But-"  
  
"GO!" Ozuma yelled, and Kenny quickly wandered off. Ozuma's intense green eyes watched Kenny, and then let his unshed tears fall.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Max had managed to carry Hilary and then Tyson to their beds. He noticed Rei had taken all six blankets for himself. "Um... Rei, are you okay?" he asked, worriedly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm f-fine," Rei said meekly. Of course, that's what he was expected to say. Max knew better.  
  
"I hope you feel better," Max said gently, and Rei nodded slightly. Max started to walk out the door and leave his sleeping friends.  
  
"Uh... sorry for taking all the blankets," Rei grinned sheepishly. "I'm still freezing..."  
  
"Well, to be quite honest, I don't think they care right now," Max smiled, gesturing towards his deeply sleeping friends. "Rest up, Rei."  
  
"Will do," Rei said, teeth chattering slightly. He snuggled up in all six blankets, indulging in his mound of fuzzy warm goodness.  
  
Max walked out of the room, leaving his friends to rest. He was suddenly aware of the pang in his stomach that was hunger. "That's right, we haven't eaten for the longest time," he said to himself.  
  
He walked into the kitchen area. It was nice and simple, yet had good quality appliances. There was a gigantic fridge. He looked in the fridge and found an abundance of food! The food in the fridge alone would last well over the month. He smiled, and pulled out carrots, celery and an onion. From the well-stocked cupboards he found noodles and chicken stock.  
  
He found a gigantic pot, and filled it with water. He lugged it over to the stove, with some difficulty since it was so heavy, then turned the stove on. He added the chicken stock, marvelling at how so little was required.  
  
"I wonder what I do now," he thought to himself. "I know this is what I need for chicken soup... oh, right! I have to cut these up," he remembered, and grabbed a knife from the drawer. He began to chop the celery, carefully so he wouldn't cut himself. "Eeps," he said as the knife almost slipped and cut his finger. "I've gotta be more careful."  
  
So he continued to cut the celery, extremely slowly, then proceeded to do the onions and carrots. It took him nearly half an hour to do just that. He turned around to put the carefully chopped vegetables in the pot, when... "AAAH!!" Max yelled, as he saw the pot was bubbling over onto the floor!  
  
He dropped the vegetables, spilling many on the floor, and looked for a mop, or something to clean up with, not even thinking to turn the stove off.  
  
"Max?" Hilary mumbled. His cry had woken her up. Max hid behind a couch, not wanting to face the wrath of Hilary. She groggily stumbled to the kitchen. What she saw definitely startled her, waking her fully.  
  
"MAX! What happened here?!" She yelled, pointing at the giant mess of boiling soup bubbling onto the floor and vegetables scattered all over the floor and counter. She was sick, but hadn't lost her voice. She noticed a knife teetering on the edge of the counter, along with water sprayed all over the walls and countertop.  
  
Rei tossed aside his gigantic mass of blankets and walked into the kitchen because of the commotion. "What happened?" he mumbled, still lethargic.  
  
"Rei! You're okay!" Hilary smiled, hugging her friend. She flinched a little at how cold he still was.  
  
"And you too, Hilary," He smiled. "Thanks to Max."  
  
"Where IS Max, anyway?" she asked, slightly evilly. "He seems to have left a mess, and fled."  
  
"Ugh. What did he DO?" he wondered, staring at the mayhem.  
  
"I was trying to make chicken soup to make you guys feel better," a meek voice said from behind the couch.  
  
Rei and Hilary sweat-dropped, looking at each other, not knowing what to say. It was most definitely a sweet, kind gesture. However, he had failed miserably and left an enormous mess.  
  
"It's okay..." Rei groaned wearily. Hilary sighed. "Just, how about you don't try again any time soon, kay?" Max nodded, like a schoolchild being told off by a teacher. He skipped off happily, now that he hadn't been severely mutilated by Hilary, leaving the two alone in the kitchen.  
  
As soon as he left, they both groaned. "I'll take care of the soup and knife if you get the vegetables and walls," Rei sighed. Hilary nodded, annoyed.  
  
"Well, it was a nice idea," Hilary said, picking up the stupid little pieces of carrots, celery and onion.  
  
"Yeah," Rei agreed, grabbing a mop and bucket after hastily turning off the stove. "Let's just hope he doesn't have any more nice ideas," he laughed.  
  
They cleaned up quickly, leaving the kitchen spotless once again. "I'm going back to bed," Rei mumbled.  
  
"Me too," Hilary yawned. The two walked back to the bedroom. "Do you really need ALL those blankets?" she questioned, seeing his gigantic mound of warm blankets and sheets.  
  
"You bet," he grinned, and climbed under all five blankets. Hilary sighed.  
  
"Whatever. I'll just have to take Kai's," she grinned. She climbed into her empty bed that happened to be beside him, and pried the blanket from his sleeping form. Rei stifled a laugh as he saw Kai shift in his sleep. Hilary jumped, for fear of being caught. Luckily, he was still fast asleep. Hilary gave a sigh of relief.  
  
"Had you scared there," Rei mumbled. He was already falling asleep.  
  
"Have a good sleep, Rei," she whispered softly, but he didn't reply as he was already in a deep slumber.  
  
Max heard them go back to the bedroom. He grinned, and walked back into the kitchen. He walked to the cupboard and decided he would attempt to make some pasta.  
  
"Hey, how about that? There are convenient instructions on how to make the pasta perfectly! And it also says how to make a great sauce! This is awesome!" Max smiled; he was ready to wow them with his pasta. "These look awfully small," he said to himself, so he grabbed five packages of pasta.  
  
He got out a large pot, and filled it with some water. He chose a giant one so there was no way it would flow over. This time he turned the tap on slowly and carefully, so it wouldn't ricochet and hit the walls like last time. He put the pot on the stove and turned it on high. Then he dragged a chair to the stove and watched it boil.  
  
While he was watching the stove, he read the package several times over. "Yeah, I bet I can do this!" he said to himself. "Put pasta in water when it reaches boiling. Hey, look at that! It's starting to boil!"  
  
He watched it intently until the water reached boiling. He then carefully poured the pasta in. "Okay, now I have to wait until it's done. In the meantime, I'll prepare the sauce."  
  
He followed the instructions ever so carefully, and was thoroughly pleased with himself. He had managed to strain the pasta without spilling or burning himself, made the sauce with ease, and the pasta was at the perfect tenderness.  
  
He set the table for five, and placed the giant pot on the table with some difficulty. "Wow, it really grew," he said to himself. "Good thing I chose a gigantic pot! Rei! Hilary! Kai! Tyson! I made pasta! It's time for dinner!" He yelled as he ran into their room. He could smell the delicious aroma from the bedroom.  
  
The four stirred, and eventually got out of bed. They walked out of the bedroom single file, all tired and exhausted. Max looked delighted with himself, and bounced out of the room to unveil his gourmet masterpiece.  
  
"Food!" Tyson grinned. He was awake now. He stared at the ENORMOUS pot of pasta.  
  
"Hey, I thought you weren't supposed to be cooking?" Hilary scolded. She felt a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Chill, Hilary. Even Max can make Kraft Dinner."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hey, Ozuma! What's wrong?" Mariam asked, seeing her usually stoic leader looking so shaken and sad.  
  
"Mariam... it's the Bladebreakers," he said, his voice sad and distant.  
  
Mariam gasped. "What happened? Is Max okay? Are the others safe?"  
  
"No," he said so softly that Mariam could barely hear him. "Kenny got an email confirming that they... are dead, Mariam." He concluded in a voice less than a whisper.  
  
"What? That can't be true!" Mariam's face looked fallen. "How can you be so sure, Ozuma," she demanded, suddenly angry. "The email could have been false!"  
  
He shook his head solemnly. "There was a picture attached... they had drowned in a maze filled with water. I saw the picture with my own eyes," he said remorsefully.  
  
Mariam's face paled. "No..." she whispered. "Max!"  
  
"We must inform the others," Ozuma said, hiding his grief once again. He turned and walked away, giving the distressed girl some time alone.  
  
"Max... I'm sorry," Mariam said to the sky. "You were my friend, and always will be. I'll never forget you." Tears rolled down her pale cheeks, as she cried all alone.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Ugh, stop it you two. Max, how much Kraft Dinner did you make?!" Rei wondered. He had eaten two bowls already. Hilary and Kai had each managed two as well, and Max and Tyson seemed to be competing. Max had conquered five, Tyson had already had six, and neither seemed to be wearing. There was still a large quantity of the neon orange substance left in the giant pot.  
  
"Um, five boxes," Max said through mouthfuls of macaroni. Rei grimaced. Hilary had a look of pure disgust on her face - bits of Tyson and Max's macaroni were in her hair, as she was sitting between the two. Some more had just sprayed from his mouth to her hair. Kai watched amusedly as the almost glowing pasta accumulated in her hair.  
  
At last she couldn't stand it. "I'm going back to bed. But FIRST I'm taking a shower!" she yelled. "Max and Tyson, you clean up this mess. Immediately after, everyone should get some sleep. Got it?"  
  
"Yes, queen Hilary," Tyson and Max said sarcastically, simultaneously spraying her further with the disgusting pasta.  
  
She screamed, whacked them both on the head, and ran to the bedroom for cover. Rei and Kai headed back to the bedroom as well, avoiding flying macaroni from the ongoing contest.  
  
"Hey Rei," Hilary asked. "Did you get the new clothes from the closet and drawers?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah I guess I did," he said, sleepily crawling back into bed.  
  
"You know, that green really looks good on you, Rei," Hilary commented as she searched through the drawers.  
  
"Thanks," he mumbled. He hadn't even noticed he was wearing green.  
  
"Oh!" Hilary's face lit up as she found the outfits for her. She grabbed one and walked into the bathroom.  
  
When Tyson and Max had finally finished eating (Tyson had won the contest by eating directly out of the pot) and cleaning up, they walked into the bedroom to see Rei, Hilary and Kai all in bed, asleep. Rei was hidden under a pile of all six blankets (he had reclaimed Kai's original blanket).  
  
"D'you think Rei would mind if we took two of his blankets?" Tyson asked. He reached over to take two when he heard a muffled "mmph" from under the mound. "Oh, sorry about that buddy. Guess we don't get blankets tonight," he shrugged. Rei smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. Tyson and Max shot him an annoyed glare.  
  
"You're STILL cold?" Max asked. Rei held out his hand in response. When Max walked over, Rei grabbed his arm. Max let out a cry at the sudden coldness. "It's still like ice!" Max exclaimed.  
  
"I know," Rei frowned. "But I'm sure it'll be better in the morning," he reassured his friend, not wanting to plague him with guilt.  
  
"Okay. Goodnight," he smiled, and fell asleep. This time, his dreams were pleasant and peaceful. Instead of sinking in his nightmares, he was floating in dreamy clouds.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Tyson woke up early the next morning to the sound of a... school bell? "Ugh, make it stop," he moaned.  
  
"Get up, Tyson! It's time for your lesson!" Hilary said, still ringing the school bell.  
  
Tyson sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. He saw in front of him Hilary yelling at them to get up, Max who was covering his ears, and Kai who looked still half-asleep and very annoyed.  
  
"Get up!" she yelled again, causing Tyson to hustle out of bed. "That's better. Rei!" she said, shaking what she figured was Rei buried under all six blankets.  
  
"Mmph," his cry was muffled under the mass of covers.  
  
"Rei, are you well enough to do your lesson?" Hilary asked the blankets. Rei emerged from under the blankets enough for his face to show. He held out his hand and touched it to Hilary's face. She shrieked with surprise.  
  
"How can your hands still be so cold?" Hilary wondered. Rei shrugged slightly. Max frowned. Now Hilary and Rei exchanged motions; Hilary put her hand on Rei's face. She found he was cold and clammy. His face was extremely pale, as well.  
  
"I guess not, then," she said, sadly. "I hope you feel better."  
  
"Hey, wait!" he said as they were walking out the door. "Just give me some of the work, and I'll try my best to do it."  
  
"Are you sure, Rei?" Hilary asked, although seemed pleased.  
  
"Yeah, man. I wouldn't want to do it if I could get out of it," Tyson admitted.  
  
"I'm positive," he smiled. "Thanks." Hilary quickly left and came back with a pile of textbooks, binders, notebooks and a pencil case.  
  
"Here you go," she said, dropping them on the bed beside him. "Do what you can. We'll be in the classroom if you need us."  
  
They walked out the door, leaving Rei alone in the bedroom. He sighed. He saw the outline Hilary had left... 50 algebra problems, a novel he had to read along with a book report he had to complete on it, a 1300 word history report, 3 geography maps to complete, and a chapter out of the science textbook.  
  
He sighed and picked up a pencil. He was sure that at least ten of the brand new pencils would be so small he wouldn't be able to write with them after he got through all of this.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Alright, it's time for math," Hilary said cheerily. Tyson groaned, Max shrugged and Kai just stared ahead tiredly.  
  
Hilary was still amazed at the mini-classroom. It had big chalkboards all around, four desks and two teacher's desks. There were neat stacks and shelves full of books and textbooks. There was a big supply closet, and pencil cases and workbooks lay on the desks in front of the Bladebreakers. In fact, their pencil cases even matched them: Tyson's turquoise, Max's purplish, Rei's yellow and Kai's red.  
  
She wrote the work they had to do on the board in neat printing. "1-50" it read. Now they all looked peeved.  
  
"Now I guess I'll just let you guys work, and you ask me when you need help or need me to explain something," she said brightly. "And when you finish, you can give it to me to mark and start reading your novel."  
  
"Yeah right, like we're ever gonna finish," Tyson muttered under his breath.  
  
Max immediately shot up his hand. "Hilary! Can you explain question 1?"  
  
"Um... sure, Max," she said, and started writing on the board. "So it's find the value of x. So in question one, 2x=20, to get x we have to divide both sides by 2."  
  
"Okay," Max nodded. "Then what?"  
  
"Well as you can see, we have x=10 already. That's all there is to it," she smiled.  
  
"Oookay," Max said slowly. "I think I get this!"  
  
"Good," she sighed. She watched them write and furiously rub out their answers. She noticed an irritated look on Tyson's face. "Need help, Tyson?"  
  
"No," he said adamantly.  
  
'Yeah right, Tyson,' she thought to herself. "Okay then... let's just do it together. Even if you don't need help maybe someone else will." She knew this wasn't true - Max wasn't even on that question yet and she saw that Kai was already on the next page.  
  
"Yeah, okay. So for question eight..."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"B-O-R-E-D," Rei wrote on his paper then lazily erased it. He wanted to talk to someone - he felt lonely. He totally understood algebra.  
  
"Question 43," he read aloud. If he couldn't talk to anyone else he would just have to settle for his own voice as company. "If Maxine has five times as much candy as Tyler, and together they have thirty bags, how many bags of candy does Tyler have... well I'd say Tys- I mean Tyler would have 15 in total after stealing from Maxine, since that would only be fair." Rei sighed, before writing down "Tyler would have 5 bags of candy."  
  
He trudged on through the tedious homework, quickly and efficiently. The novel he was required to read was exceptionally boring, and he fell asleep partway through.  
  
"You can't hide from me forever," a chilling voice entered his sleep. "I will find you," it whispered, causing Rei to shiver with fear.  
  
"What happened?" Rei demanded after finding his voice.  
  
"I'll tell you what happened," the voice came that was of the scientist. Rei instinctively knew that he went by 'Dr D', as it came into his mind. His voice seemed cruelly pleasured by their pain.  
  
"Rei, it seems your so-called friend has attempted your rescue," Dr D's gloating voice came.  
  
"You mean Kenny?" Rei asked, hopefully.  
  
"Yes, him, the poor pathetic fool. He actually succeeded in hacking into our systems," he said, angrily. Rei managed to smile. "But you know I will find you. It's just a matter of time. You can't escape, Rei Kon."  
  
Rei just glared ahead, as the voice didn't seem to have a body. "In the meantime, I sent your friend a message..." Rei frowned. What could he have sent? An image of them lying lifeless flashed in his mind.  
  
He gasped. "That's just wrong! You told him we were dead? That's so cruel!"  
  
"Au contraire, Rei. I told him nothing of the sort. You know a picture is worth a thousand words... and your own picture has left a scalding impression on your former friend. And right now..."  
  
Kenny's image appeared in his head. A dangerously depressed Kenny, with tears rolling down his cheeks. He appeared to be contemplating suicide. Rei gasped. "You sick..."  
  
"Oh, there's more," he gloated evilly. It seemed that so many already knew about their supposed 'death'.  
  
Pictures of weeping, downhearted friends flashed one by one in his mind. He tried to shut out the horrid images but they just kept coming.  
  
Mr Dickenson... "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault," his distant voice wept. Tyson's grandpa was suddenly so sombre and lifeless. The Saint-Shields, seemingly stoic bladers, were all teary-eyed. Zeo, his artificial tears flowed freely down his face. Judy looked a complete wreck - her normally calm composure had been destroyed. The All-Starz were shaken and some were crying.  
  
But Rei's heart nearly stopped when he saw... Mariah.  
  
^^^^^  
  
End of Chappie!  
  
Well, I must say that was a slightly different chapter. It was long! Please review! You don't know how much reviews help. Well, actually you probably do if you write your own fics! So, spread that warm fuzzy feeling and click that review button. Thanks so much!  
  
^_^ Penguin Pop 


	16. For You

Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Haha, had some of you scared there! Okay, I admit it. I'm evil!! Talk about cutting it close. But really, I couldn't let them die just yet.  
  
Okay Mariah haters: I know, I left the wrong impression there. But, see in one of my earlier chapters I said how Rei and Mariah knew they couldn't have a relationship. So, my point is they are good friends. There's nothing wrong with friends, right? Here Mariah still likes Rei (who wouldn't?), and just maybe he still has feelings for her but he told her it wouldn't happen, got it? I have to include Mariah for this to work. Okay?  
  
Mariah fans (if there IS any!!): Personally, I have nothing against Mariah. So why isn't she with Rei even though it was so obvious in the first series? My excuse is the second series. Was it not obvious Rei had a crush on Salima? Anyhow, high school relationships don't last, let alone not even in high school yet! (In this fic, it's summer and he's going into grade 9). Well, dare to prove me wrong.  
  
This is a Bladebreakers centred fic. Even though others make an appearance and such, it will remain that way. The other parts with other people sort of seem more... dull, and harder to write.  
  
Okay, just clarifying that was not just Rei's imagination. That was Dr D's doing, but it was real. So, he saw reality in his dreams, to put it simply.  
  
PAIRINGS: There are hints of both Kai/Hil and Ty/Hil, which you've most definitely picked up on and if you haven't you're dense -_-". I won't be TELLING you, but I will tell you that: Hilary thinks Kai is cute when he smiles. Tyson and Hilary refuse to admit they like each other, but it's quite obvious they do. And Kai has found the feeling of being cared for from Hilary. That's all I'm saying!  
  
Kai-lovr: I think it's so cute when Kai sleeps too! ^_^ He does sleep lots!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. Darn it all.  
  
Warning: Rei torture ahead!! This is a pretty angst-y chapter. You have been warned... one chappy chock-full of Rei torturing goodness ^_~  
  
^^^^^  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 16: For You  
  
Her golden eyes had lost all signs of life and passion, emotions leaking from them in the form of tears. Her normally bright, shiny hair was messy and dishevelled, but she didn't seem to care. She was bleeding, as was her soul...  
  
Fresh self-inflicted wounds showed on her arms. They were bleeding mercilessly, crying tears of blood. But these wounds hurt Rei more than they hurt Mariah herself. And then she whispered in a lost, distant voice... "I loved you, Rei, more than life itself. And now that you're gone... I'm gone too." She slashed her wrists with the sharp blade, left to die alone.  
  
"You demented freak!" Rei shouted to Dr D, as he was forced to watch this. He couldn't close his eyes or look away: it was all in his head. She collapsed on the floor, blade still in hand. "How could you," he whispered, barely audibly. He wanted so badly to scream at her, comfort her, convince her, hold her in his arms...  
  
Rei woke up with a jolt, but he knew it was all too real. 'This is sickening,' he said to himself. 'And this is my fault... nothing ever would have happened if it weren't for me. Does she still have feelings for me? I thought I made it clear... that I couldn't love her like that. I love her as a friend. I remember the look in her eyes when we talked, but she knew as well as I... didn't she?"  
  
"I don't know what to do, Driger," he said to the comforting beyblade in his hand. "Help me sort this mess out, I want so badly to help her..."  
  
The beyblade glowed, and he felt Driger's soothing presence. He closed his eyes and was once again lost into a subconscious realm. He could see the golden light swirling around his mind, making his hair flow in the 'wind'.  
  
And then he saw her. He reached out to Mariah. She had lost consciousness after cutting her wrists, and was now in a painful darkness.  
  
"Mariah," he called. His voice was so gentle and strange in the darkness of her bitter mind.  
  
"Rei?!" Her eyes shot open, revealing tear-filled golden orbs. She held out her hand and reached out to touch him, then embraced him in a hug. She stared up at his face, and saw he looked confused and hurt.  
  
"Rei, I-I'm sorry... I know if you were still here, you wouldn't have wanted me to take my life. But it's just so painful without you, Rei. First you leave us, then you tell me you love me and now-"  
  
"Mariah..." Rei's face fell. "I thought you understood..."  
  
"Understood what, Rei?" She asked, lightly parting the bangs that were shadowing his eyes.  
  
"That..." he couldn't bring himself to say it. He sighed heavily. "That I'll always be your friend. I'll forever be there for you, Mariah, as I promised."  
  
"Yes, Rei, I remember..."  
  
"So why did you do it?" he demanded.  
  
"Because... the promise was broken, Rei. You left me, when you... died..."  
  
"Mariah, since when does that break a promise? You know that friendship is forever. It goes beyond death, and it lives on in memories. I think it's you that broke our promise, Mariah. You gave up."  
  
She hung her head, trying to hide the still-falling tears with no success. "I'm so sorry... and now it's too late."  
  
"No, it's not, Mariah. Besides, I never did leave you like you accused of me. I am still living. Wake up and live... and see me again," he smiled.  
  
"What do you mean, Rei?" she asked, curiosity filling her amber eyes.  
  
"What I mean, Mariah... is that we aren't dead yet." Her empty eyes seemed confused.  
  
"Let me help you, Mariah." With that, her darkness whipped around in ribbons and streams, and Rei seemed to grab them. Taking her sorrows and pain for her. "I believe these were meant for me... save your tears, because we haven't left you yet."  
  
His image started to fade into the distance. "Goodbye, Rei," she said, reaching out to him.  
  
"No, Mariah. I believe it's see you soon," he smiled, and with that vanished from her mind.  
  
Golden eyes shot open, now in a hospital room. Well, if you could call it a hospital. It was pretty unsophisticated and had practically no technology, being so isolated. "Hey, Mariah," Gary's deep voice grumbled. "I'm happy you are still here."  
  
"Yeah, Mariah. You had us worried," Kevin admitted.  
  
"We're glad you're awake," Lee said. They all still looked shaken from her attempted suicide, not to mention just days ago finding out about Rei's death.  
  
"Yes, Lee," she said softly. "I'm awake. I've been dead inside since I found out he left a couple days ago. And just now, he brought me to life..."  
  
"How so, Mariah?" Kevin asked.  
  
"He gave me the will to live... and he told me not to mourn his death..." The other White Tigers looked confused.  
  
With this, she smiled. "Because Rei Kon is still alive."  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai walked into the bedroom. He had finished reading his novel and done his book report, and was going to go take a shower. But before he could get his clothes from the closet, he saw something startling. "Rei!"  
  
His friend lay on the bed, motionless. His skin was a pale blue all over, and his entire body was covered with frost. Kai ran over, not sure if he was even breathing. He could faintly hear his scarce breathing, which was somewhat relieving. He was alive and had been laying unconscious for maybe an hour.  
  
Rei struggled to open his eyes, as they were frozen shut. Ice crystals scattered as he forced them open. He moaned without moving his lips - they were still frozen together. Rei wished he could move his mouth to speak as he saw Kai, who looked petrified with shock and worry.  
  
Kai slowly put a hand to his face, and recoiled - KAI flinched- as he felt the temperature drop to subzero. Rei narrowed his eyes in frustration of not being able to explain himself. In doing so, more ice crystals fell, and he could feel the numbing pain of the cold.  
  
"What did you do, Rei," Kai asked but knew Rei couldn't even answer and he knew the answer himself all to well.  
  
'What do you think you're doing, Rei,' he said mentally. 'I know what you're doing, but what are you trying to prove, and why?' "Rei," he finally said aloud. "Don't endanger yourself."  
  
Sounds of frustrated grumbles got louder and louder as they got closer. "Urgh why don't they get it... I think he's purposely trying not to understand... now I know how Ms Kincade feels..."  
  
Rei flashed a warning sign at Kai that clearly read "don't let her see me". His eyes seemed to plead. Kai rolled his eyes.  
  
He sighed as he quickly covered him with the pile of blankets that had been somehow tossed onto the floor, and casually walked over to the closet.  
  
"Oh Kai," Hilary said, entering the bedroom. "Could you potentially help me explain to Tyson and Max why you have to eliminate one of the variables?"  
  
"I could potentially," he said coolly.  
  
"Would you please help me- hey, weren't you going to take a shower?" she asked, suspiciously.  
  
"Yes. Still am," he replied bluntly.  
  
"Umm, okay... does it really take that long to pick out some clothes?" She was on to him now.  
  
"No. I was checking on Rei," he answered. Rei's eyes narrowed as he heard their conversation.  
  
"Oh, and...?" she waited expectantly.  
  
"And he was asleep," he finished, truthfully.  
  
"Oh. Well I did tell him he should get some rest," Hilary said cheerfully. A burden seemed to lift on Rei's heart, but he knew he couldn't hide it forever. Just until he could move again... right now he was too cold to shiver.  
  
He knew he had maybe overdone it, gone too far. But it was for Mariah... and he couldn't have waited until he was well; she would have died. Besides, he couldn't control it... but no, he knew better than that. It was his entire doing.  
  
"If you don't mind, Hilary, I'd like to take a shower," Kai somewhat interrupted her ramblings.  
  
She blushed, and muttered a "sorry", and quickly left. Rei exhaled, not knowing he was holding his breath. He pried his lips apart, and tasted the blood after they had been frozen together.  
  
They both knew how Hilary would react. Kai knew it, and that was the only reason why he had hidden the truth. He was always up front and honest. But this time, it was better for her not to know. It would crush her.  
  
"Thanks, Kai," he said quietly from under the pile of blankets. Kai lifted back the covers, and saw he was still in the same frigid state. His cool grey eyes narrowed with concern.  
  
"Well, my lips are no longer sealed," he said lightly to himself. "So let me explain..."  
  
"Rei, you should rest. You're in no condition to talk right now," Kai said although he knew he couldn't convince Rei. Actually, when he had his mind set, Rei was more stubborn than Tyson.  
  
"Kai, just hear me out, okay? I'm fine!" he protested, although rather weakly.  
  
"How about I get you some tea, and then after you've finished that you can explain everything," Kai offered. Wow, Kai was offering to get him a drink? Will wonders never cease...?  
  
"Thanks," Rei mumbled, still surprised at the kind gesture. "Hey wait a minute! Not fair... I can't even lift my arms from the pain. Or maybe their frozen stiff..." his voice cracked from the strain. Kai was already walking into the bathroom to take a shower, with a triumphant, all-knowing smirk.  
  
Rei glared after him, annoyed, but couldn't help smiling. Well, smiling as best he could with frozen lips that were still blue. The cold was excruciatingly painful now, after the numbness was starting to wear off. He gritted his teeth, leaving his lips just barely apart so they wouldn't freeze together again. He couldn't help closing his eyes, though. He needed desperately to concentrate.  
  
He focused on happy, warm things. It was the only way he would stay conscious. He had incredible concentration powers. He filled his mind with thoughts of his strongest friendships - Kai, Max, Tyson, Hilary, Kenny, Lee, Kenny, Gary, and Mariah filled his mind. Thoughts of beyblading with Driger wove their way through his head.  
  
The thoughts, feelings and memories swam through his mind in a giant rush of warmth. His eyes shot open suddenly, as he regained feeling in his body. It burned like hell. He bit his tongue so he wouldn't cry out in pain. He sat up, able to shift slightly now, and stayed in that tense position for a long while.  
  
"What's taking him?" Rei wondered. It had probably been half an hour already, with him focusing so deeply and waiting. "Surely it doesn't take that long to-"  
  
"Rei!" Hilary cried, running into the room. Max and Tyson, and lastly Kai, who was carrying a mug of hot tea, came into the room following her.  
  
Rei opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead, his eyes narrowed and glared at Kai.  
  
"Rei, I merely told them that you had something to say. I also told them not to react. Look, you know they have to hear this too." Rei frowned. Why did Kai have to be so logical?  
  
He sighed, showing defeat. "Okay. I-"  
  
"Hey," Kai interrupted, and carefully handed him the mug of hot tea. Rei smiled at the consideration of his friend. He took a small sip, and felt the burning sensation of warmth as it ran down his throat. It was a wonderful feeling.  
  
He slowly took another sip, and told them what had happened.  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Excuse me," Mariah said to a nurse that was attending her. "Could I use a phone? I need to make a call..."  
  
"Phone?" the nurse asked. Mariah rolled her eyes and slumped forward, nodding. "I'm terribly sorry," she said. "But we do not have-"  
  
"Yeah, okay," Mariah interrupted, rolling her eyes.  
  
The nurse sighed and walked away, muttering to herself in Chinese. "Irritable suicidal teens... always wanting so much." Kevin couldn't stifle his laughter.  
  
"Shut up, Kevin," Lee scowled. He instantly stopped and turned away, frowning.  
  
"This is bad," Lee said, talking to nobody in particular. "We're stuck in this not even hospital in China, without any access to the outside world. There's not a phone to make a long distance call... or a computer to email. We have to tell them, if you're telling the truth, Mariah. You're positive it's not just wishful thinking."  
  
"For the last time, NO!" Mariah practically screamed. "I don't see why you can't believe me! It's very possible Kenny was sent a false email!"  
  
"Wait a minute," Kevin said. "Then how did you find out he was dead in the first place, Lee?"  
  
Lee sighed. "By letter, Kevin. Remember? That's the only way we stay in touch with ANYONE."  
  
"So, then, why don't we just write a letter back?" Kevin asked.  
  
"Because, Kevin," Lee said, annoyed, "it'll take way too long."  
  
"Don't be stupid Lee. It'll take longer if we don't do anything, and we need it as soon as possible before..." Mariah glanced down at her scarred up arms. The others were silent; they understood.  
  
"Sure, Mariah. But it could get lost." Lee was stubborn and didn't want to lose his argument.  
  
"Well it's better to try than not to. There's nothing to lose by trying," Gary said logically.  
  
"Yeah, Lee! How can you argue with that?" Kevin exclaimed.  
  
Lee sighed. "Get some paper."  
  
^^^^^  
  
"So, Rei, you reckon Mariah will tell everyone that we're still, well, here?" Tyson asked, after Rei had finished explaining everything. Well as best he could, anyway.  
  
"I know so, Tyson," Rei smiled. He shuddered - at least none of the others had bonds that deep with any of them... right? But then the flash of a suicidal Kenny struck his mind. His frown deepened. "I only hope she does soon."  
  
A silence came upon them, as Rei's words sunk in.  
  
"Yeah," Max said, breaking the silence after minutes.  
  
"A little slow, Maxie?" Tyson nudged playfully.  
  
"Hey, I wouldn't be talking, Tyson," Max said. The silence returned, after Tyson didn't retort.  
  
"So," Hilary said awkwardly. "Let's have some lunch! I'm starved," she admitted. It was lunchtime, after all. "What does everyone want?"  
  
"Pizza!" Max yelled.  
  
"Fish, potatoes, corn, roast beef, ham, turkey, bread, sandwiches, cake, pie, hamburgers, fries, milkshakes, macaroni and cheese, garlic bread, dumplings, soup, sushi, pastries-"Tyson recited, extremely fast but was cut off.  
  
"LET me rephrase that," Hilary yelled over his ramblings. "What should I make for lunch? That is POSSIBLE."  
  
"T-Tyson, how can you want m-macaroni and cheese," Rei sighed. Tyson shrugged and grinned.  
  
"How can you NOT, Rei?" Max winked. "My KD was killer!"  
  
"I'll say," Hilary sweat-dropped. "Killed my appetite eternally for macaroni."  
  
"Hey... oh well, I used all the boxes anyway," Max shrugged. "I can't believe there were only five boxes..."  
  
"So, no preferences? I guess I'm making-"  
  
"I'll make sandwiches!" Tyson shouted.  
  
"Yeah! And I'll make soup!" Max grinned. Hilary and Rei sweat-dropped.  
  
"NO, Max," Hilary sighed. "Wait a minute... guys, back to class! Yes, you too, Kai... Max and Tyson finish your algebra. Kai keep reading your novel and do the report," she said, and ushered them out the door. Hilary stopped for a minute, and glanced back at Rei.  
  
He looked rather sad and lonely, his eyes still watching her. "Rei, sleep!" she commanded.  
  
He shook his head, slowly. It was rather cute. "I don't want to... oh, um, can you get me some more tea?" he asked. The nearly full cup was being held out to her.  
  
"Sure, okay... why?" she asked curiously. He just held his cup out and waited for her to take it, which she did. Her eyebrows raised. "Oh..."  
  
"Iced tea," Rei laughed. "Thanks, Hil."  
  
Hilary smiled, and left the room. She quickly came back with another mug of hot tea. "Here you go, Rei," she said, handing it to him. She turned to leave, but stopped. She walked back to give him a hug.  
  
She felt her skin prickle as she made contact with his frigid body, but endured all the same for the brief embrace. He smiled, feeling her warmth magnified against his icy skin. "Now I'm ordering you to stay in bed for the next few days," she said. "Don't you get out of this bed, Rei Kon," she said teasingly but meant it.  
  
"Fine," he sighed. "Can I read? Or draw? Or do some other productive thing lying around this house left by Mr Dickenson?"  
  
"No. Rest," she argued.  
  
"Do my homework?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"No, you're exempt from class and homework for the week. Sleep."  
  
He sighed. "You mean I can't do ANYTHING for the next few days? I've already been lying here bored for so long... and honestly, right now, I'm not tired in the slightest."  
  
Hilary sighed. She knew Rei. "Okay, Rei. I'll strike you a deal. You can read your novel when your hair defrosts. Which, I think will probably be a few hours. Got it?" he nodded, smiling.  
  
"Good. I'll check on you in a few hours. I expect you'll be asleep, though," she said, walking out the door. Rei smirked, and his eyes traced her path out the door.  
  
"Stupid hair, taking that long to defrost? Unfortunately, yeah, it's not a normal type of coldness... I guess it's because it comes from deep inside Mariah and Max's hearts. But I'll be asleep? As if." He sat up stiffly, and began to slowly move. It really hurt, but he could endure pain. It already was painful, so he could take more. Anyway, it would be rewarding in the end.  
  
He ended up spending an hour stretching and flexing, numb but painful at the same time. Finally, he tossed the covers aside.  
  
He slowly got out of bed, swinging his legs over the edge. He took a few steps, but then collapsed. "Shoot," he said quietly to himself. He got back up again and walked slowly but steadily to the bathroom. Then he started filling up the bathtub for a gigantic hot bubble bath.  
  
Hilary was in the kitchen, attempting a stir-fry. "Okay... I don't have a recipe. So, I guess I'll just have to ad-lib it!" She walked to the kitchen and began pulling out an assortment of vegetables and meat.  
  
"Okie doke then... Broccoli! And... cabbage, corn, and um... what else is in a stir-fry? Snowpeas, and oh chicken, of course, and carrots, and beef? And heck why not add some pork too! Mushrooms, onions, celery, fish, peppers! Ooh, and- what are these?"  
  
She continued to pull out anything that might potentially be used in a stir- fry. She then heated the frying pan and put the random assortment of food in. She went to the cupboard and grabbed about ten bottles of sauces.  
  
"Okay, hmm oyster sauce sounds good. And so does teriyaki sauce, and Soya sauce, and sesame oil... how about corn syrup?"  
  
"HILARY don't put that in the stir-fry!" Rei shouted, after just coming from his quick bubble bath. He had only had a chance to have a quick one since the water got cold after a few minutes. Still, it felt nice.  
  
"Rei you're supposed to be in bed," Hilary scolded. "And why shouldn't I put it in the stir-fry? I mean, corn..."  
  
"I'm not in bed because I don't think I can leave you guys to cook," he said, making an excuse since he just didn't want to be in bed. "And why don't you just taste a spoonful of corn syrup and see?"  
  
"Fine, she said. She poured a little corn syrup into a small spoon and tasted it. Her eyes widened.  
  
"See? It's definitely not something you want to put in your sti- Hilary!" Hilary was pouring herself more of the sweet sticky substance, her eyes glittering.  
  
Rei slapped his hand to his forehead. "Wow, it's so sweet," she murmured, still licking off the spoon and then eating some more.  
  
Rei confiscated the sweet substance from her, much to her annoyance. "Why NOT, Rei?" she pleaded, trying to reach the corn syrup bottle so close yet so far from her grasp.  
  
"Because, Hilary, you're getting addicted and sugar-high, and you're scaring me," he said mockingly slow, emphasising the last few words.  
  
"Feh," she shrugged, and ran to the fridge and grabbed some maple syrup. She grinned and began to taste it.  
  
Rei rolled his eyes, and walked towards the classroom. "Hey Rei!" Tyson and Max yelled simultaneously.  
  
"Hey!" he smiled. "How's the work going?"  
  
"I don't like algebra," Max said.  
  
"Then finish up, Maxie!" Tyson said. Tyson was writing his book report, and Kai was doing his history essay. Max was still doing algebra problem 48.  
  
"That's a dull book," Rei muttered, gesturing to Tyson's novel.  
  
"Ssh, don't say that," Tyson said. "We want Max to finish up and have this book to look FORWARD to..."  
  
"Oh, sorry," he sighed. He suddenly cocked his head, as he had faintly heard a slight shriek and then a giddy laugh from the kitchen. "Oh no..."  
  
"What is it?" Tyson asked. Only Rei's supersensitive ears had picked up the sound.  
  
"Uh... I'll be back later," he said, sighing and hurrying to the kitchen to prevent disaster. Too late.  
  
"Hilary!!" Rei scolded.  
  
"Sorry, Rei, it spilled," Hilary said, her grin deceiving her. She was lying with maple syrup drenched all over her. It was in her hair, all over her face, sticking to her clothes and the remainder of the bottle on the floor.  
  
"And thus endeth your sugar-high, Hilary," he said, sweat-dropping. "Go clean yourself up." She nodded, and walked to the bathroom, leaving a trail of syrup behind her not unlike a slug.  
  
Rei sighed, and got the mop out. Again. He cleaned up the sickeningly sweet mess with some difficulty, having to scrub the sticky substance hard to get it off.  
  
He put away the mop and bucket, to realise her stir-fry ingredients were still out. He sighed as he separated the ingredients into a pile that was actually used in a stir-fry and a pile of ingredients that he wouldn't use and cringed at the thought of them being in the stir-fry.  
  
He put the assortment of things he wouldn't use back where they belonged, and began to cut up the vegetables and meat for the stir-fry. He set the table and started to make the actual stir-fry, and a delightful aroma wafted through the house.  
  
Max and Tyson could no longer concentrate on reading the dull novel with the delicious smells filling the air. They were all ravenous.  
  
"Lunch is ready," Rei called. Max and Tyson dropped their books, Kai put down his pen and Hilary stopped blow-drying her hair to come and eat.  
  
"Wow, this looks AWESOME!" Max grinned. Tyson and Hilary nodded vigorously.  
  
"Wow, thanks!" Hilary said. "This is amazing. Oh, um thanks for cleaning up," she said, a blush spreading across her face.  
  
Rei sighed. "Don't mention it," he muttered. The kitchen was pretty much sparkling now, due to his efforts.  
  
Rei just now realised how tired and unwell he actually was. Kai looked at him, noticing his fatigue. Rei nodded reluctantly. "I'm gonna get some rest now," he said, yawning. "Enjoy the stir-fry." He shivered in his deep red sweatshirt despite his efforts not to.  
  
He walked to the bedroom, and lay down in the soft bed, smothered in the blankets and pillow. A smile crept upon his face, and warmth spread inside his frigid body. He fell deep into the abyss of his mind.  
  
^^^^^  
  
A voice interrupted Rei's dreams. If he had had any, that is: he was so deeply unconscious his mind was almost empty. The chilling voice of Dr D filled his dreams of nothingness with cold and malice.  
  
"I know where you are," the voice whispered in his head. "I've found you, and now I'll come to get you. Your friend was clever, hiding you in Dickenson's education centre. Too bad he wasn't clever enough," he whispered menacingly.  
  
Rei bit his lip. "So what are you gonna do now?" he asked, brow furrowed. "Still trying to take Driger? Because you'll never win."  
  
Dr D laughed harshly. "Don't worry, Rei... I'll get Driger from you. You'll be begging for me to take him. But I want to see you suffer first."  
  
"You're demented, Dr D," Rei spat. His fists were clenched so tightly it left his hands white. The name left a sour taste in his mouth, for it was the adopted name of a psychopath. So lost and caught up in his megalomania he had forgotten himself. Rei's eyes narrowed. His fists shook with fury, as Dr D seemed to get a disgusting pleasure from his pain. "What do you mean?"  
  
Dr D grinned evilly. "It's delightfully touching to see how upset your friends are, and how much you go through for them. I see the deep bond you share. It's been fun, toying with you. But just how much are you willing to endure?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Rei asked, eyes glaring.  
  
"Oh, you'll see, Rei," the scientist laughed. "Let's see just how deep your friendship is... You know, Rei, your friends aren't all like you. You know they could deceive you in a flash, and leave you to die alone..."  
  
Rei said nothing, shaking with fury. The scientist's cold laugh filled his mind. He couldn't take it anymore. "Shut up!"  
  
"Now, now," his voice was poisonously sweet. It reminded Rei of a Disney villain. "A little hot-tempered, are we, Rei? To match that fevered state of yours. You know as well as I that you Bladebreakers are full of betrayal and insults..."  
  
"Think again. If you're trying to blind me with lies, you should know better because it won't work on me. I can see through it."  
  
"Maybe so, Rei, but deep down you know they aren't lies. They are truths you can't bring yourself to believe..."  
  
Rei glared angrily ahead. "Why won't you leave us alone?" he shouted angrily.  
  
"You know perfectly well, Rei," Dr D spoke. "You have what I want. That sheer power of the holy beasts... and--"  
  
"You enjoy seeing us suffer," Rei finished. "That is disgusting."  
  
Again, cruel, soft laughter filled his mind. "You're right, Rei. And now, you're about to go through a world of hell, and your friends can only watch until you surrender Driger. Say hello to your living nightmare."  
  
^^^^^  
  
Kai's eyes snapped open as he saw his friend stir in his fevered sleep. He had been deeply unconscious for almost two full days. "Rei?"  
  
"Kai..." he opened his eyes wide. He threw the multiple covers onto the ground hastily.  
  
"What? How are you feeling?" Kai's voice seemed cold and uncaring, but Rei knew better.  
  
"Not good at all," he admitted. Kai put his own cool hand to the boy's forehead and frowned. He was burning from an extremely high fever.  
  
"He's found us," Rei whispered. Kai stared at him intently, waiting for him to continue. "Dr D appeared in my mind... you know, the deranged scientist that's trying to kill us."  
  
"Kai, you should get some rest," Rei said wearily. "How long have you been up?"  
  
Kai didn't answer. He, Tyson, Max and Hilary had scarcely had any sleep since Rei didn't wake that afternoon. It was now early morning... two days later. They had watched over him, making sure he was okay.  
  
"Rei, you should eat. You haven't had food for three days now," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
Rei shook his head. "No, can't..." he didn't want to worry his teammates but it was true. He didn't think he physically could right now.  
  
Kai nodded, understandingly. He knew how it felt to feel so hungry yet couldn't eat.  
  
Rei felt his head starting to hurt, and instinctively clutched his head with his hands. "Are you okay?" he heard Kai say, but his words were slurred and drowned in his mind.  
  
"Uh..." his mind was swimming. He sat up and stumbled out of bed. He walked over to the washroom dizzily. His vision was blurred and his head was throbbing. He clumsily shut the door before a wave of heat and nausea overcame him.  
  
Kai's eyes followed him until the door shut. Then he closed his eyes, trying to sort things out.  
  
Kai vaguely wondered how the whole dream-walking thing had happened. Rei could reach out and take Max and Mariah's depression, and turn it into a physical thing. He understood that. But why could he enter their dreams and physically take feelings for them? And how was he able to do it?  
  
It had to do with Draciel and Driger. First, Draciel called to Rei. But why Rei? Maybe because Rei wanted to help, and Draciel knew that. Of course the others wanted to, but Rei was special, with his extremely sensitive and caring personality, and had so much determination and concentration he could take it. And then with Driger, Rei had called upon him to help him, and Driger offered him a way to Mariah.  
  
Surely Draciel and Driger didn't foresee the outcome. But Rei knew what could have happened the second time... why did he do it again? 'Because he's a loyal friend,' Kai answered himself. Was Kai a loyal friend? Would he do anything for them? Yes, he would... wouldn't he?  
  
He hoped so. He hoped he hadn't inherited his grandfather's selfishness. He cared for others unlike his grandfather, and was unlike him in so many ways. But that thought dragged him down, almost scaring him. Like Black Dranzer's terrifying power... that he had craved so much...  
  
Kai snapped himself out of it, and glanced into the kitchen. He saw Hilary and Tyson sleeping with their heads down on the table, and he knew Max was still lying on the couch in the other room. They had attempted to stay awake to make sure Rei was okay, but couldn't last going another night without sleep.  
  
Then there was still how Rei had become so sick. He had fallen asleep for nearly 2 full days, and when he had waken he was like this. 'It must have something to do with the scientist; 'Dr D', Rei called him,' Kai said to himself.  
  
He closed his eyes and instantly felt fatigue trying to take over. He resisted for a few minutes, then hastily opened his eyes to avert the temptation of sleep. He blinked a few times and glanced back at the washroom door. It had been a while now... too long.  
  
He walked to the washroom door. "Rei," he called from outside. He tried again a little louder, still with no answer. He kicked open the door, to find Rei lying on the cold floor, sweating terribly.  
  
"Rei!" he ran over and helped his friend to a sitting position. His eyes opened slowly, dazed and unfocused.  
  
He groaned and clutched his stomach in agony. He would have thrown up, but had already emptied the entire contents of his stomach violently. His clothes lay thrown in a pile on the floor, and he was in his boxers yet still burning.  
  
Kai could feel him trembling uncontrollably. He looked at him with fear, not knowing what he could do. There was fear in his cold grey eyes as he stared at the boy lying tense yet limp, only his arms kept him from hitting the cold floor.  
  
"Rei, what's going on," he asked worriedly.  
  
"It... won't stop!" he said, pain burning through him. He cried out as it struck again, and he clutched his head. Tears of pain came uncontrollably, and he collapsed in a shaking mess.  
  
"It won't stop until I surrender Driger," he said barely audibly. He started to cough violently, and his throat burned like acid. He clutched his stomach as the pain continued.  
  
Suddenly, Kai felt Rei's trembling cease and he fell to a limp position. His light brown eyes partially opened after being screwed tightly shut with pain. He shuddered, and gasped.  
  
"Hey, are you alright?" Kai asked. Rei nodded slightly. Those actions were spontaneous, and were not true. It was one of those things where you don't think about it, you just do it for the sake of it. Like when someone says 'what's up', you immediately say 'not much, you?' They both knew it was false.  
  
"Better than moments ago," he said hoarsely. Kai nodded. He helped Rei shakily to his feet, and gave him the support he needed to get back to bed. Rei lay down, sweating and panting.  
  
He lay still for about 15 minutes, feeling the disgusting state of sickness. It was miserable and extremely unpleasant. He was tired but couldn't sleep, things seemed unclear but the pain was sharp and piercing.  
  
Kai watched over him, but his eyes were failing to stay open. Soon, in the silence, he drifted off into a much-needed sleep. Rei opened his eyes slightly and shifted his gaze towards the slate-haired blader. He saw he was fast asleep, still in the same sitting position.  
  
Rei almost smiled but was interrupted by a coughing fit. It burned and hurt every time and after. It was then that he realised he was completely desiccated and needed water now.  
  
Rei slowly got up to get some water and drank it slowly. Unfortunately, it wouldn't stay down and came back a lot more painfully and violently moments later into the white porcelain bowl. He was breathing heavily and sweating even worse than before.  
  
Pain exploded inside him again, and he fell to the cool floor tiles of the bathroom in a crumpled heap. He opened his eyes for just a fraction of a second to see the slightest sliver of the early sunrise, before closing them tightly as the pain overcame him.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Wow, I'm evil! REVIEW PLEASE!!!  
  
Kai-lovr, I put the Kai sleepy part in just for you!! ^_~  
  
Okay, I know you may think Kai's sort of acting OOC being so nice and such, but he's not really. He does care for them; it's just that there's so much Rei torture going on at once that it seems like he's changed drastically! :P And he is less ignoring and more caring with time. I know, Tyson, Max and Hilary would be the ones to be helping out and such, but they would WAY overreact! That's my excuse.  
  
Anyway, enough explanations. Got any suggestions? Send 'em in the form of reviews. Thankies!  
  
Penguin Pop ^_^ 


	17. Losing Forever

Thanks so much for the awesome reviews!!   
  
Thanks for your suggestions! I did sort of come up with a plot myself, but I'll try and incorporate ideas!  
  
Lol yes, Hilary got sugar-high () it just struck me as the oddest idea, so of course, being compulsive, I just had to get it in...  
  
Disclaimer: see last chapter, and the chapter before, and the one before that one...

* * *

Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 17: Losing Forever  
  
(Rei's POV)  
  
The pain is getting worse. I can't even get up now, off the floor. My head is spinning, exploding and throbbing so badly I can't open my eyes. I can't even think straight...  
  
I can't even crawl over to the toilet to be sick, but that's okay; there's nothing left. I find myself huddled in a ball, shaking involuntarily. The sweat beaded on my forehead sends a chill down my spine. I'm burning up and sickeningly dizzy.  
  
And then it stops again. The pain dulls, and the nausea leaves me. I stop shaking and I can open my eyes again. My vision is blurred and I can't focus on anything. There's still a dull throbbing in my head I just can't shake off.  
  
My thoughts don't gather, and I can't make anything clear. I slowly force myself off the floor and back into bed. Again, I get the feeling I'll throw up but I endure.  
  
I can feel myself slipping. Reality is fading away. I still fight, though. If I lose consciousness I lose it all... So what happens when I lose? I can't win... it just gets worse and worse until I die. Either way, I lose Driger... I'm so sorry, Driger.  
  
Driger, you should go. Run; leave me. You're only in danger with me. I'm not strong enough. I don't deserve you. I don't know how much longer I can take this, so please... just run...  
  
I hear a voice. It's blurred in my head, and I can't make out what it's saying. It gets louder and louder...  
  
I blink, and see him coming into focus. He's gently shaking me, trying to wake me... but I am awake. His voice... "Wake up, Rei..." I know that voice.  
  
Then it hits me full force like a sledgehammer. Ouch. My eyes open, clear and I can see everything. "Kai!" I say, naming the voice. He nods.  
  
"Rei, what's happening," he asks, or rather demands. He has this way of asking as a statement rather than a question.  
  
"It's getting worse," I tell him. I can feel it. I can picture the shadowy figure of Dr D cranking up a giant knob that reads 'pain'.  
  
Sharp pains pierce through my head again, and I instantly put my hands to my head in a futile attempt to stop it. He looks frightened... he never looks afraid for himself, only for others.  
  
"Sorry," I manage to say through the harsh ringing of my mind. He shakes his head, wondering what I mean by the apology. He then utters something and leaves... I don't know what he said.  
  
It's starting to explode again, and it's unbearable. I think I must have cried out in pain, because I heard footsteps amongst the chaos of my head.  
  
"Rei!" the voices cry. Yes, it was definitely plural. They came running into the room, and Kai hands me something. Painkillers and a glass of water, I realise. I swallow them, but immediately feel my stomach contorting and churning with pain and repulsion. This won't be pretty, I think to myself as I shut myself in the bathroom once again.

* * *

(Normal POV)  
  
Kai had briefly explained to the Tyson, Max and Hilary Rei's predicament. They looked more than scared - scared would be an understatement. He himself was more than scared.  
  
"How can he get out of it? There must be something..." Tyson pondered shakily. "That's not fair... Rei won't give up Driger."  
  
"And that's why I'm worried," Kai said.  
  
"When was the last time he ate?" Hilary asked.  
  
"Three days ago," Kai responded. The others looked horrified.  
  
"And he hasn't eaten since?! That's awful!" Hilary shouted. "He needs to eat!"  
  
"He can't," Kai replied bluntly. "You saw how he responded to the pills." The others nodded solemnly.  
  
"Then what's going to happen?" Max asked worriedly.  
  
"I don't know, Max," Kai said softly. He could see tears in his cerulean eyes.  
  
The tears that built up behind Tyson's deep brown eyes quickly vanished as it turned to determination.  
  
"Rei's helped all of us so much," Tyson said. "And now it's time to return the favour. I don't know how, but I do know I'll try everything and I'll do anything." He turned and faced the door. 'Don't worry, buddy. We'll get you through this... promise.'  
  
"But how... the only thing that's killing him is his own body," Hilary said sadly. She was trembling as tears wavered at her lashes. She had her hands clasped tightly together with nervousness. She felt Tyson's hand on her own, and she seemed to relax.  
  
Kai's cool eyes flickered at the sudden movement to catch the act of warmth. His gaze instantly shifted back to the washroom door, waiting for Rei. Max caught the sweet gesture too, and smiled.  
  
He noted they dropped their hands to their sides immediately as they fully realised they were holding hands, and he almost laughed. Max also caught a glimpse of the sudden look in Kai's eyes as he glanced at Hilary and Tyson.  
  
Max blinked, and the strangely distant look in Kai's face had disappeared. He nearly laughed again, at the thought - his mistake. But with the amusing thought, it made him think more. Max wondered if Kai had ever liked someone. He himself had started thinking about girls... the last summer? Yes, that was it. That summer, Max had matured drastically. Instead of the clingy, hyperactive kid he was back then, he was now a sweet, charming guy.  
  
Kai must like someone, Max figured: he couldn't imagine anyone not ever having had a crush. Then again, he had thought the same thing about friends...  
  
"What," a harsh voice penetrated his thoughts. He mentally jumped, to see the grey eyes were now staring right into his blue ones. He tried to stare innocently back.  
  
"Just... thinking," Max said. He shrunk under Kai's glare. "I wonder if he's okay in there," he said, trying not to sound hasty in his answer. Now would definitely be a good time for a distraction, he thought to himself. He stepped forward.  
  
"Rei, are you alright in there?" Max asked cautiously, knocking on the door. He waited a few seconds, and with his ear to the door could hear a faint flush of a toilet. He grimaced, moments later hearing the sound of water running.  
  
"Is he okay?" Hilary asked, seeing Max's face. Max gave her a peculiar look she couldn't quite distinguish. "Um..."  
  
"I'm fine," he said from behind the door. He swung the door open, causing Max to fall headfirst onto the floor. "Sorry," he muttered as he heard his head make contact with the floor.  
  
"No, my bad," he moaned, getting back up.  
  
"What are you guys doing?" he asked, noticing them all staring anxiously at him.  
  
"Just making sure you're okay, that's all," Tyson smiled. Rei smiled back meekly, feeling the fever's effects. He nearly collapsed if it hadn't been for Tyson catching him.  
  
Tyson helped him back to the bed. "Thanks, Ty. Now why don't you guys get some rest, or something? I'm fine."  
  
Tyson snorted in disbelief. "Yeah right, Rei. You just came out from rejecting those pills. You just about collapsed a few seconds ago."  
  
"Well I'm not going to get up, okay? I just felt slightly faint back there. I'm fine, honestly!"  
  
"Whatever," Tyson said, rolling his eyes. "Just take care, okay?" he added softly. A true smile spread across Rei's features, as he closed his eyes.

* * *

Waking a few hours later, Tyson sat up, worried for his friend. He couldn't sleep if he tried, now. He shoved his blankets into the corner, and crept back to the bedroom.  
  
He heard a soft voice coming from inside the room - comforting and gentle. "Ssh... it's okay..." Hilary's sweet voice murmured. Tyson peered inside the room, and saw Hilary sitting on the bed beside him, gently putting her hand to his forehead in her caring, maternal way.  
  
"Hilary..." Rei asked softly, not able to focus. He suddenly winced as he clutched his stomach and curled up, shaking.  
  
"Rei," Hilary said, trying to soothe and calm her friend. She wiped the sweat that was accumulating quickly on his face. "Just try to relax," she whispered. He still shook uncontrollably, his face contorted with pain.  
  
Tyson watched silently at the door, helplessly as his friend was in obvious pain. Hilary gently tried to ease his pain, to no avail. He slipped away from the doorframe, and laid his head on the kitchen table. He was so frustrated... he felt so helpless as he couldn't help. Or couldn't he...?  
  
"Okay, Dr D. If you've found us like Rei claims, I want to talk," he shouted. Max lazily opened a bright blue eye to see Tyson seemingly shouting to himself. He shrugged and went back to sleep.  
  
"I want to challenge you. That's right. A beybattle, anyone you want. Just get him out of this stinking mess!" he shouted. He waited for a response, then sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
"Why can't I do anything... I feel so helpless in this. I'm such a loser... pathetic, is what I am. Ha, Hilary, I admit it now. I am all those things you said, and so much more. Happy now? Because I'm not. I haven't done anything this whole time. Haven't saved lives, made selfless sacrifices for you, any of that heroic junk."  
  
"I beg to differ, Tyson," Kai's cold voice interrupted his soft murmuring. Tyson nearly jumped out of his skin.  
  
"Oh shoot, I didn't say that out... why can't I ever just keep my mouth shut?! It always ends up getting someone hurt. Myself included-"  
  
"Tyson," Kai repeated. Tyson slapped himself for speaking his mind yet again. Kai frowned - Tyson was most definitely saying more than he intended to.  
  
"I'm sorry," he mumbled. It wasn't his loud, overconfident voice. It was quiet and... sad?  
  
"You seem distracted, Tyson," Kai stated the obvious. Tyson merely looked up at him. "Is it Rei?"  
  
Tyson sighed. "Yeah. I guess." Kai cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"What else," he demanded. Tyson opened his mouth slightly, then got up.  
  
"Nothing," he said more harshly than he intended. He glared sullenly at his friend. "Now if you don't mind," he said, slapping his hands down on the table. He shoved the chair roughly aside, and walked out the door. Outside, he muttered to himself under his breath. Something like "Besides everything."  
  
Kai just watched as his friend walked glumly outside. Happy people weren't like that. Kai had a suspicion-- no, Kai KNEW that there was more to Tyson than his happy, cheerful self. Something he didn't want to bring himself to believe.  
  
Tyson sat on the steps of the porch, staring up at the sky. He felt even smaller and insignificant in this world. As if in response, soft laughter filled his ears. Tyson buried his head in his arms. "What do you want," he said softly, muffled by his arms.  
  
"A battle, of course, Tyson," Dr D's voice rang out clear and cold. "Are you up to it?" he asked, his voice was mocking concern, dripping with malice.  
  
"Of course I am," he snapped his head up. "What are your terms," he demanded.  
  
Dr D laughed again. "Hasty, aren't we," he mused. "Tyson, if you win, never again will I try and capture any of the four sacred bit-beasts. Rei will recover, and you will go home."  
  
"And if I lose?"  
  
"Both Dragoon and Driger are mine for the taking." Tyson blinked, not knowing what to do. He sat for a while in silence, contemplating and talking to himself.  
  
"I don't know if I can do this. If I win, we're all saved. No more of this torture - tempting. Everyone would be safe, and there would be no worrying. But if I lose, Driger and Dragoon are his... if I don't do anything, Rei will still be fighting for his life... and he can't win. It's not fair. Driger's his, anyway. I can't let that happen. I have to do this for Rei. I will win for you."  
  
"Good," Dr D's malicious voice came again. "Noble of you, boy, but you will feel sorry when you lose. Come on, the portal is waiting... and your friends will watch you lose."  
  
He solemnly entered the glowing portal, to face his biggest challenge yet.

* * *

The Bladebreakers blacked out momentarily, and after waking found themselves in a beyblade stadium. They were sitting in audience - wait, they WERE the audience. No wonder they had front-row seats. Max shook his blonde head to clear his mind. He saw Tyson standing at the beydish, waiting for his challenger. "TYSON! WHAT'S GOING ON?!" he yelled.  
  
Kai sweat-dropped slightly - Max had just yelled in his ear. Unnecessarily too, they were in dead silence and Tyson was directly in front of them. He stared intently at Tyson, waiting for an answer.  
  
Hilary looked up, waiting for a response from Tyson as well. She was supporting Rei, who was limp and unmoving.  
  
"I have to do this, guys," Tyson said. His eyes were shadowed by his bangs, and he spoke quietly. "It's the only way. If I win, Rei'll get better, and we can all go home. Our bit-beasts will be safe from him forever."  
  
They stared at him intently, waiting for him to continue.  
  
"And if I lose, I surrender Dragoon and Driger." The others gasped, but nodded hard. He needed all the encouragement he could get.  
  
"Yeah Tyson!" Max yelled loudly. Kai flinched again at Max's yelling, but smiled encouragingly. In that non-smiling manner. More like, he wasn't frowning.  
  
'Come on, Tyson,' Kai said mentally.  
  
"You can do it, Tyson!" Hilary yelled. She squeezed Rei closer and whispered into his ear. "You hear that, Rei? Tyson'll win, and everything will be alright again."  
  
His amber eyes flickered open slowly. He nodded, and tried to smile. "Come on, Tyson. Please, win it..." Dizziness overcame him, and he let his weight rest upon her shoulder. He stared quietly ahead.  
  
The giant screen that usually displayed to the audience what was happening in the dish flickered on. The shadowy figure of Dr D appeared, this time enlarged. "Hello there," he said dangerously. "Ready to meet your opponent, Tyson?"  
  
Tyson just glared and tightened his grip on his launcher. Dr D took that as a yes. A shadowy cloaked blader made his entrance. He looked almost identical to Dr D's other bladers, cloaked in black.  
  
"This will be a sudden death match. Winner takes all. Are you ready, boys?" Tyson nodded, while the other merely took out his launcher.  
  
"3-2-1 let it rip!" Tyson yelled. The other blader said nothing, but launched his beyblade swiftly and smoothly into the classic red beydish.  
  
The blades clashed, sending sparks. "Go, Dragoon!" Tyson yelled, and Dragoon went on the offence. His opponent just stared darkly ahead, manoeuvring his black beyblade. Tyson would have made some sarcastic remark about how stereotypical the black blade, cloaked figure was but couldn't be distracted from his concentration.  
  
There was a sudden glint in Tyson's opponent's eye, and his beyblade rammed into Dragoon head-on, causing Dragoon to go flying in the air. The others gasped, but sighed with relief as it landed safely still spinning.  
  
"Be careful, Tyson!" Hilary yelled, although knew he was aware of the danger. He merely nodded, and focused even more deeply.  
  
"Tyson, you have to end this quickly. Dragoon can't take much more," Kai commented, and Tyson nodded in agreement.  
  
The black blade started attacking ferociously, giving Dragoon a major beating. Pieces of the white-grey beyblade flew. Tyson stumbled, his face contorted with pain. Hilary gasped and clutched her hand to her heart as she saw him weaken.  
  
"Don't let up, Tyson," Max advised. He didn't want to see his friend hurt further, but knew that it was something Tyson had to do.  
  
"You have to attack now," Kai commanded, and Tyson's eyes flew open.  
  
"You're right. DRAGOON ATTACK NOW!!" he yelled, and the dragon appeared in full glory to fight for its master. Dragoon's opponent appeared - a black shadow.  
  
Its form writhed and twisted, as it had no defined shape. "How am I supposed to fight that?" Tyson mused to himself. Dragoon was clawing at it, trying to slash it with its rake-like claws, but the shadow was to quick for it. Every swipe Dragoon made, the shadow bit-beast evaded with ease.  
  
"Dragoon, phantom hurricane attack!" Tyson yelled, and a great tornado arose from the beydish.  
  
Tyson's opponent spoke for the first time. His voice was harsh and raspy, and spoke with a whisper. "Attack," was all they would ever hear him say.  
  
The two blades collided, and an explosion took place. Light filled the area, their human eyes not allowing them to see anything inside the dish. They all shielded their eyes for protection.  
  
When the light seemed to dim and the wind of the tornado had died, they looked down into the remains of the red plastic, formerly a beydish.  
  
"No way," was the first thing said, by Kai. The others gasped as they peered inside the dish that held their fate.  
  
Black was still spinning, and white lay uselessly on the ground beside its master. _Former master._  
  
A disgustingly giddy laugh filled the area. "**You lose, Tyson**," Dr D's cruel voice mocked. "That makes _me _the winner. Now watch as your soul is torn in two."  
  
Tyson's heart stopped as the blade did, and he fell to his knees. He looked up, tears forming in his eyes, as he watched helplessly as the black shadow painfully wrapped itself around Dragoon, consuming it and taking it captive into the black blade.  
  
The shadow then reached out, and Driger's golden light was sealed into the black beyblade. Hilary hugged Rei closer, as Driger was taken from him. Tears now fell freely down Tyson's face.  
  
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, and collapsed to the ground. His form shuddered with sobs. "I am so sorry." The cloaked blader retrieved his blade, and retreated to the shadows, leaving Tyson standing speechless. Alone in the dark, soul shattered.

* * *

"I'm sorry! Forgive me!" Tyson shouted. "No, I understand... really, I do, there IS no point to me being on the team anymore, I completely agree, Max. No, I don't know how I could have lost so badly, Kai. I said I'm sorry... I gave it my best shot. No, you're right, that's no excuse. I'm just not good enough, I know."  
  
"Hilary, I know you hate me. Please, just give me one last chance... no, I don't deserve it. I'm sorry, and I know I'm not worthy of your time. But please... Kenny, I did. I lost. Dragoon and Driger. Yes, I understand... I know that... I'm sorry, I won't talk to you anymore, promise. Just let me try to explain..."  
  
"Rei, I'm so sorry... I know you hate me, with a reason. Yes, two reasons. I shouldn't have taken the challenge. I shouldn't have been so ruthless... I should have known better, I know. I'm so sorry this happened to you... No! Don't leave... Rei..."  
  
"Ozuma, I screwed up big time. I know. I let you down. I've already let down the whole world. No, grandpa, please, I'm so sorry - take me back I don't have anywhere else to go! Grandpa..." Tyson finally ceased his mutterings.  
  
"How is he, Hilary," Max asked grimly, after the girl walked out of the bedroom. Tyson had stayed shut up in the bedroom since the battle, and had finally fallen asleep. Hilary had gone to check on him, to find him in a restless sleep. They knew he was asleep, as Hilary had been in there a few minutes now and hadn't been sent out.  
  
"He's not so good," she replied. "He's still completely grief-stricken and guilt-ridden. He's rambling in his sleep..."  
  
"What about?" Kai asked, leaning against the wall.  
  
"He was shouting things like 'forgive me' and 'I'm sorry', which you must have heard. But in an almost incoherent whisper, he was saying things that I found even more disturbing..."  
  
Kai and Max stared at her, urging her to tell them. "In his nightmare, or dreams or whatever, he believes... that you kicked him off the team, Max. He thinks you don't think he's worthy of the Bladebreakers." Max's face paled a shade, turning a ghastly white.  
  
"That you're disappointed and ashamed of his loss, Kai. That his best isn't good enough," she muttered. Mild surprise momentarily flashed on his face.  
  
"That I hate him, and think him undeserving of my time," she whispered sadly. "That he's failed the whole world. That his grandpa will have kicked him out of the house. That everything... is all his fault."  
  
There was silence that filled the room, only to be interrupted by a ragged, hacking cough belonging to Rei who was lying on the couch in another room.  
  
"How's Rei," Hilary asked suddenly realising the danger Rei was in.  
  
"He's... okay," Max said nervously. "He hasn't gotten any worse."  
  
Hilary frowned, and looked panicked as she heard his painful coughing again.  
  
"He's been able to take a bit of food," Kai said, so she wouldn't panic. "He had some water, and just now was able to stomach a small bowl of soup."  
  
Hilary beamed. "Wait 'til I tell Tyson! He'll feel better knowing that." Max grinned and nodded vigorously. "Hey, wait a minute," Hilary said, feeling her confident, teasing self again. "You DIDN'T make the soup," she pointed at Max.  
  
"Nope. Kai did," he laughed slightly, remembering his soup incident. "Uh, want some?" Hilary's stomach growled in response. She blushed crimson.  
  
She laughed, along with Max, and realised that she hadn't eaten since the fateful battle. It was now around midnight. "Yeah, that would be great," she smiled. "And you didn't tell me earlier?!" she snapped suddenly. Max grinned and sweat-dropped.  
  
"Eheheh... sorry," he muttered, and walked to the stove to get some soup.  
  
"I hope Rei can pull through. It'll be difficult without Driger," Kai mused.  
  
"Huh? What do you mean, Kai?" Hilary questioned. Max turned his head and looked at him as well.  
  
"It's hard to explain. Bit-beasts are a part of us," Kai tried to simplify it for them. "They are a part of who you are, and the two master and bit- beast share feelings. When one is hurt, the other is as well. The same applies with strength - the bit-beast contributes to one's power." He looked up at them, to see if they understood so far. They nodded slowly.  
  
"So now that Driger's been taken away from Rei, he's weakened greatly, as is Tyson. And Rei was already extremely sick even with Driger. Now that he's without--"  
  
"It'll be even harder to recover," Hilary finished. Kai nodded. "Not good..."  
  
"But at least it's not any worse," Max added. "He doesn't seem to be falling even more ill..."  
  
"That's because Dr D has no need to intensify the sickness," Kai explained. "He already has Driger," he said bluntly. Max shut his eyes tightly and Hilary swallowed hard, almost shocked at the openness of it all. But they knew Kai better.  
  
"Right," Max said quietly. "Then why not make him better?"  
  
Kai's face darkened. "Because... well the more obvious point is that the antidote would be more costly and 'not necessary' in the doctor's case. But I doubt that's an issue. I think you know why he hasn't cured him."  
  
Max bit his lip, and Hilary cringed. "Because he enjoys it," Hilary said softly. "He likes to see us suffer." Kai nodded ever so slightly.  
  
Kai had grown up with psychopaths like Dr D. He knew all too well the pleasure they got from seeing people hurt. Children hurt. Him hurt. Kai felt an insuppressible shiver overtake him, as he remembered.  
  
"Hey, um, you okay?" Hilary asked softly. Kai immediately glanced up and stood up sharply.  
  
"Yeah," he said, walking away.  
  
Max set a large bowl of soup and a spoon on the table for Hilary, and walked off as well. She muttered a quick 'thanks', and sat down.  
  
The soup smelled delicious, she found herself thinking, but was more focused on what Kai had just explained to her.  
  
"So they're linked... like one," she murmured to herself. "I think I'm starting to understand... it's that bond that I can see during the beybattles now. It's strange... very cool, but strange. It's like they sacrifice for one another. Yes, that's it. I've seen that in most of the major battles they've had. They share strength... they share a soul," she concluded.  
  
She had a little difficulty grasping the complexity between owner and bit- beast, but she trusted Kai. He was sagacious and wise, and Hilary had complete confidence in him. She sat for a while, absorbed in her soup.  
  
She immersed herself in the aroma, a sudden craving tempting her to indulge. She gave in to the irrepressible temptation, and lifted the sleek metal spoon to her mouth. She swallowed a spoonful, and felt herself relax slightly as it poured down her throat like velvet. Its liquid warmth was comforting and soft. The noodles, vegetables and spices blended together deliciously. The medley of flavours tickled her tongue, as the contrasting textures of the soup combined perfectly.  
  
She indulged in the delicious soup, momentarily drowning her worries for Tyson and Rei.  
  
"How's Tyson?" Rei asked hoarsely, his voice barely there.  
  
"He's..." Max didn't know what to say. "Sleeping," he said truthfully. Rei nodded and shifted again. He started coughing again, shaking his slim frame. Max ran off to get some water for Rei. He came back instantly, handing him the cup of water.  
  
"Thanks," Rei mouthed but no sound came out from his throat. He slowly sipped the cold water, and started to talk again, despite the pain. "How's he taking it? Not very well, I presume," he said, coughing again. Max cringed.  
  
"Not really," Max admitted. He couldn't hide anything from Rei, and he knew it. "I'm sure you can imagine."  
  
Rei nodded. "Not good at all," he whispered as he thought of how Tyson would react.  
  
"Hey, are you okay?" Max asked, and Rei knew it was about Driger.  
  
Rei stared up at his friend, a sad look washed over him. His eyes were downcast and flooded with hurt. He tried extremely hard not to let the pain of the loss show, but couldn't completely conceal it. He felt Max's hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I understand," Max whispered. He got up, leaving Rei to rest in silence. If he'd stayed a minute longer, he would have seen the silent tears falling from sad, ochre eyes.

* * *

Tyson woke early the next morning. He couldn't sleep anymore. He walked outside, silently loathing the gorgeous sunrise for being so serene and beautiful. He walked around, realising that the house really WAS in the middle of nowhere.  
  
There was a scattered forest out back, and a trail leading to their house. Tyson walked along the dirt trail, not knowing or caring where it went.  
  
He heard the door open and footsteps approach, but he didn't turn around. He kept walking, as if he hadn't heard at all.  
  
"Tyson, wait up!" Hilary cried, running to catch up. He didn't, of course. She sprinted until she was beside him.  
  
"Hey, how are you?" she asked. He didn't reply. He stared darkly at the ground in front of him. "Hel-lo," she said, exasperated. She annoyingly waved her hand in front of his face.  
  
"What do you want," he muttered.  
  
"Don't you use that on me," she scolded, but her face softened. "I just want for you to be okay," she attempted a smile.  
  
"Look, Hilary. You don't know how it feels. You have no idea, so why don't you just leave me alone?" Tyson snapped. She recoiled.  
  
"What do you mean? I've made mistakes too, Tyson," she said, arguing back. "So why don't you at least give me a chance to understand?"  
  
"Because you would never understand," he uttered. "You just wouldn't..." he trailed off, his voice cracking. He stared down at the earthy path at his shoes, stopping in his tracks.  
  
Hilary stopped too, and placed her hands on his shoulders. She gently tilted his chin up so he looked her in the eyes. "Then let me try," she said ever so softly. "Even if I don't understand, I know it'll make you feel better. Tell me everything on your mind..."  
  
And so he did.

* * *

(Kai's POV)  
  
I walked silently down the dirt path, admiring the beauty of the late morning. What was I doing? I didn't really know yet. My intent was to go console Tyson... he had been out for hours now; I had heard him get up. How would I console him? I had no idea. I'm not exactly the comforting type. What would I say?  
  
'Suck it up,' I pictured myself saying. I pictured hurt and tears, and I cringed. Worse yet, they would wave it off nonchalantly, expecting that sort of answer from me. Ouch.  
  
Well I get what I deserve. No, I get more than I deserve. I do learn, though, and try to make up for them. Like betrayal and loyalty, learned through mistakes. Big mistakes. Or one big one; my whole life has been a mistake. But hey.  
  
Also with Wyatt... okay, it's too late now. That was indubitably hard on my conscience... oh, only because I told him to get out of my life, flat out refused to teach him, and led him to insanity. Great. Note my sarcasm. But that incident did lead me to be more accepting of others. Like Zeo.  
  
Okay, I guess I've only been remedied of this mistake-filled life on the account of one thing. Friends. Okay, sounds lame, whatever. But it's true. I see a whole new side of things. A whole different side to me...  
  
Okay, maybe you don't see it. Probably nobody else does. But I think it's an improvement from evil, conscience-free megalomaniac, wouldn't you? As my grandfather told me, that was my destiny. Well, according to him my fate was to be his sidekick, his evil partner in crime. Ha, he's not wrong about much, but he was most definitely wrong that time. Sorry, gramps.  
  
Oh, and there Tyson is, up ahead. I was so caught up in my cynical thoughts I didn't notice he was just ahead, sitting under that tree. And he's with someone. Hilary, no doubt. Yes, that's Hilary.  
  
Well, no need for me. I turned around, set to leave.  
  
There was a final pause in their chatter. Evidently, the conversation had ended. I turned around to face them again, waiting for them to see me. They didn't.  
  
"Thank you, Hilary. You were right, it did help," he said after the long pause.  
  
"And thank you for enlightening me," she said back. "I'm glad I could help, I told you talking to someone always helps. I didn't understand the special bonds before... Kai-"I felt a mild adrenaline rush when she said my name, as I waited once again for them to discover me, "tried to explain it to me." Okay, they didn't notice me. But I didn't even care...  
  
"But you didn't get it then?" Tyson asked.  
  
"No... Kai explained it really... formally. What you told me was really -real- like you actually feel. It came from within. You know?" Hilary said.  
  
"Yeah. Thanks again... you really lifted my spirits. I need to start blading again, even without Dragoon. I can't let the team down. And, like you say, I'm sure I'll see him again." Wow, I missed the whole counselling session.  
  
"Of course you will," Hilary flashed a real, happy smile. "I'm positive." Tyson smiled too.  
  
"Thanks a mil, Hil, for believing in me," he said before hugging her tight. He picked her up, showing his physical strength, spinning her around in a circle, wrapped in his arms.  
  
Hilary squealed as she was spun around in his arms. I figured it was a combination of surprise, anxiety and joy. He slowly let her down, still embracing her in his arms. With a final hug, they parted ways. Hilary headed back to the house, and Tyson went further down the path.  
  
She was so excited she brushed right past me without even noticing.

* * *

END OF CHAPPIE!  
  
Lookie, I put MORE KaiHilTy action in. But it's not a romance fic or anything; you know that. Heck, they're in grade 8. I was going to have a first kiss scene this chappie, but... I wasn't so sure whether to have the final pairing yet, so I didn't. --() Tell me which you prefer!  
  
Okay, this was a fairly experimental chapter. I tried to have different perspectives... In parts I used first person and also present tense. Tell me what you think.  
  
Review! Penguin Pop 


	18. Decision

Thank you for the reviews! I feel happy...  
  
Wow, TyHil and KaiHil are tied as far as reader preference goes! Scary, isn't it? Exact tie. Review!!  
  
This chapter is just full of... everything. It's an exciting chappie for sure!  
  
Disclaimer: okay, for the last time I don't own it.  
  
Aargh stupid quick edit thing is sooo annoying...  
  
  
  
Twisted Fate  
  
Chapter 18: Decision  
  
Rei's head was spinning as he struggled to sit up. He coughed harshly, painfully trying to get some air. He coughed for a few minutes straight, until his coughing fit finally ceased. He gasped for air and sank back into the couch.  
  
"You - wouldn't happen to have a Halls or anythin'," Rei muttered wearily, finally catching his breath.  
  
"If I did, you would have had them long ago," Max replied. "Sorry. I can go ask Tyson or Hilary or Kai," he offered, and was off before Rei could reply.  
  
"No I was just--"Rei sighed as his blond friend ran out the door. "Yeah right," he muttered under his breath. "Like they would." He sighed, staring out the window. "Driger," he whispered. "I wonder where you are now. I hope you're alright."  
  
He exhaled heavily. His eyelids felt exceptionally heavy and threatened to fall. He was plain exhausted. It could be because he was sick. Or maybe because he was weakened after being parted from Driger. Sad because of it, and sad for his friends. Or maybe it was because he had barely eaten for days. Maybe being stranded, tortured and deprived had some role in it too. Maybe he was lonely.  
  
His friends barely spoke to him now. Sure, Max came in and out occasionally but only to see how he was doing. Then he was off in a flash. Rei sighed; he knew Max wouldn't come back until the afternoon. He would have completely forgotten about the Halls.  
  
Well of course. He would be having fun with Tyson, Hilary and Kai. Why would he want to hang out with Rei? Conservative, serious, boring Rei.  
  
Tyson, Max and Hilary were balls of energy, exploding with cheery fun and happiness. You couldn't help but like them. Of course, Tyson was more energetic and laid back than Hilary, but she too was extremely extroverted and charismatic. She had a whole clique consisting of every girl in her class, and guys liked her too.  
  
Now Rei, he was more of a background person. Unlike his friends, he was somewhat hesitant to try something completely brash and daring. He was self- conscious and quiet compared to his friends. Calm and reserved, he felt out of place.  
  
This outsider, never quite fitting in anywhere. True, he was a natural leader and charismatic. This was proven when he was in the White Tiger clan. But he stood out because of this; he was always raring to try something new, to improve upon the so-called perfection of the village. But now, he seemed to be the one fixed upon routine and customs. Now, he was with those even more confident and outgoing than he was. Leaving him out of the loop yet again.  
  
He remembered many of the conversations he had had with them. He had told them to play by the rules, to be fair. Told them how they shouldn't change their ways, their style. The importance of tradition and respect...  
  
Rei shook his head, and instantly regretted it. "Smart Rei," he cursed aloud as his head began pounding even more strongly. "This must be getting to my head. It's not really that way... well not to that extremity. I guess this is what happens when you're alone for too long. Not like deserted alone, but lonely like your friends have left you..." he was interrupted by a coughing fit. He sighed once again, wishing he had a glass of water, not quite able to get up and get it himself. Actually, he wished he had a friend to help him. He lay down again, lifelessly staring at his empty bit.  
  
  
  
"Tyson."  
  
"Yeah, Kai?" Tyson spun around to face Kai and stopped walking.  
  
"Are you okay now?" Kai asked. "We can't have you--"  
  
"Oh, I'm alright," Tyson said. "I mean, it's just a part of life, and I'll make it through. I know that I'll see Dragoon again, and Driger will return to Rei. And I'm sure Rei can handle this - Hilary said so."  
  
Kai remained indifferent, staring into his dark eyes. Tyson continued. "Sure, I feel pretty lousy about letting you all down. But I'm content, knowing that you're all there to support me."  
  
Kai nodded. "You're right about that. Or, Hilary's right, rather." Tyson opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. "I know, I saw you two."  
  
Tyson sighed. "Yeah, whatever. You should get a life," he said, laughing. He felt a smile creep onto his face. "Oh, yeah. We're having a picnic today. It's been so long since we were outside."  
  
"Well, it's not like you haven't been out this morning," he smirked, making Tyson blush furiously.  
  
"Shut up, Kai."  
  
"Hey you guys," Max called, running towards them. "'Sup?"  
  
"Not much," Tyson shrugged. "Just chilling."  
  
"Ty, you okay?" Max asked, his big blue eyes filling with concern.  
  
"Absolutely," he nodded. "Like I was telling Kai, I know it's all gonna be okay in the end. We'll get them back." Max nodded vigorously.  
  
"I'm glad you think so, Tyson," Max grinned. "So everything's cool?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Tyson replied casually. "So, what brought you running over here?"  
  
Max paused. "Oh, I dunno. Just wanted to hang with you. There was something, but it musta slipped my mind."  
  
"Sure, okay," Tyson smiled. "It's been like forever since we just laid back and relaxed. We're just taking it easy today, after-- Rei! How's Rei, Max?"  
  
"Oh!" Max remembered why he had come. "He's not so good. Well, he's awake, and can talk... sorta. He was coughing, really bad, and looked awful. His fever's still high and he hasn't had anything to eat since your soup," he said, directed to Kai. "Which he did drink, right?"  
  
Kai nodded. "How's he handling losing Driger?"  
  
"Uh... I think he's okay," he said, shifting his glance to Tyson.  
  
Tyson sighed. "You sure?" Max opened his mouth, knowing that he wasn't sure, but thought again and nodded. "Great."  
  
"Anyway, he wouldn't blame you, or anyone. And he can deal, he's strong," Max reinsured. "And like you say, we'll see Driger soon. Do either of you have any medicine or cough drops handy?"  
  
"Sorry. Why, are you sick too?" Tyson asked, suddenly his eyes widened.  
  
"No, for Rei," Max almost laughed. "Don't worry, Ty. One's already too much."  
  
"Is he showing any signs of getting better?" Kai asked. Again, Max had to think.  
  
"Umm... he seemed actually... worse than last night," he confessed. Both Kai and Tyson groaned.  
  
"I'm going back to check on him," Kai offered. The two nodded, smiling. He walked back towards the house, hearing happy laughter in the distance. He smiled inwardly.  
  
When he finally arrived at the house, he walked inside silently, not wanting to wake Rei in case he was asleep. He was not. He heard voices coming from the room - Hilary and Rei's voices. He stood outside, silently.  
  
"So you're saying that you have a decision to make," Rei whispered. His voice was dying.  
  
"Yeah," Hilary mumbled. "Well it's like this. Dr D approached me, and he told me I was to take Dranzer and Draciel's bit, or be killed. But then, he seemed to change his mind, and then he asked me... who I loved most. He said I could choose any of you, give back your bit-beast by taking the others' away. Or they could keep it safely, but the other would be lost. So it's like this. The Bladebreakers, as of now, have only one bit-beast. It could be any - Dragoon, Dranzer, Driger or Draciel. And I don't know which one... I love all of you guys. You're my best friends and like family. I can't decide. You are all so important to me. So why am I confiding in you? Because you're so open and understanding. You're like my best friend that I can confide in and spill my secrets to. Rei? Rei?!" Hilary sighed, sweat- dropping. He had fallen asleep.  
  
She walked out the door, not noticing Kai there. She walked into the bedroom and flopped onto a bed. "Who do I love? I don't know... do I? I mean, Max, I like him, but not in that way. He's incredibly sweet, though, and is always sticking up for me. He takes my side when Tyson and I fight. He's like my brother.  
  
"And Rei, we have this unspoken relationship. It's weird; I feel so close to him. But no, I don't think I love him like that. He's like my best friend. I mean, he's cute and all, but I think I like someone else...  
  
"Kai..." Kai's eyes snapped open as he heard her say his name. No, she still didn't know that he was listening. "He's very cute... especially when he smiles. He's changed so much. He was such a jerk when I first met him. I was so excited to meet him... and then, you could say I was crushed. But then, he seemed to open up and I guess I respected him. And now, he's one of my best friends. Do I like him? I guess it doesn't matter, because I know he would never like me...  
  
"Tyson was a total obnoxious jerk when I first met him. But he's changed... ever since I've seen him beyblade, I think, yeah, I've fallen for him. Yes, I like Tyson Granger." Kai closed his eyes, hearing this. He knew she liked Tyson. "He can be really sweet. He's really confident, and strong... and cute. Heck, they're all cute. But Tyson, I think that, maybe it's him...  
  
"But really, would he like me that way? I don't think so... am I still that annoying girl that tags along because she doesn't have any real friends? Am I? Or am I something more? I hope so... I really do. But do I really love him? I think every time I get to know Kai better, the more I like him. I feel so stupid, I think I like them both. Why can't I like someone that would actually love me back? They have thousands of adoring girls, so many others they would like better. I feel like a total idiot, to think they would even like me back. I'm such a fool."  
  
"I don't know about that," a cool voice interrupted her thoughts. Hilary shrieked.  
  
"Kai! How long have you been here? What have you heard?" Hilary yelled, jumping to her feet.  
  
"Enough to know that you're dead wrong about some things," he replied coolly. Hilary paled drastically.  
  
"You..." Hilary sighed. "I guess it is my own fault, stupidly talking to myself. So... I guess you know now, huh," she said guiltily. Kai nodded. "I'm so sorry... what was I thinking? I'm such a fool." She laughed at herself pathetically. "Thinking I could just CHOOSE someone, not even considering they wouldn't like me back. When it's just so obvious that they wouldn't. Just a stupid little girl in way over her head," she muttered. She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.  
  
"Hilary," he spoke softly this time. He placed his hands on her bare shoulders. He tilted her chin up so she would look at him in the eyes. Her eyes moved from down at her own halter-top to his deep grey eyes. They seemed soft and gentle as he looked into her ruby depths.  
  
"I... do care about you," he said softly. Her ruby eyes showed slight confusion, and then became clear as hope and happiness shone through her.  
  
He pulled her closer towards him. She blinked, seeing his expression sweet and gentle. Hilary noticed how much a slight smile could do for one's features. They drew closer and closer, eyes closed.  
  
It was a sweet, brief kiss. His lips sent tingles coursing through Hilary's spine, lingering long after. The warm feeling flooded through him, a sweet sensation remaining after the few seconds of contact. He walked out the door not saying another word, leaving her speechless.  
  
  
  
'What was I thinking,' Kai said to himself. He sighed, as he sat down under a shady tree. 'I think I've just created an even bigger mess of things, getting involved. Grandfather was right.'  
  
He buried his face in his arms, closing his eyes. He thought back to after the first world championships. He had gone back to Voltaire, because after all he was his legal guardian. He had nowhere else to turn to.  
  
Voltaire was never around, luckily for Kai. But he remembered clearly when he had been. The menacing glares of hatred no person should have for another, let alone family member. But, after all, Kai HAD betrayed him, ruined him. Kai remembered the beatings he had endured. They were painful, fuelled by sheer fury and anger for his grandson. His harsh words had left Kai frightened and destroyed the friendships he had built.  
  
He remembered well the things Voltaire had inscribed into his head. Remembered that friends were for the weak, that emotions would destroy him. The thing was Kai discovered it was true. Voltaire was living proof.  
  
What had he become? Surely he hadn't always been that way. He must have once been a decent man, normal, even. He would have had a wife, and later a child. But those he loved must have passed away, Kai inferred, leaving him heartbroken. Voltaire turned to a cruel, heartless psychopath. It was love that had destroyed him to become the man Kai knew.  
  
So maybe Voltaire did have a point. Voltaire was trying to make Kai a cold, emotionless soldier, teaching him for his own selfish concerns. But perhaps those lessons went a little deeper. Every bruise, broken bone, drop of blood shed was meaningful. And that's why Kai had reverted back to the cold teen he had been before the Bladebreakers when he had met up with them the next year.  
  
"But you're wrong," Kai now said aloud. So even if their friendships faded, even if he was left heartbroken... as an old saying goes, it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. It was true.  
  
But now, maybe it was Kai that had destroyed something, it was he who meddled in something he should never have. Because it was so obvious Tyson and Hilary were meant for each other... what had he been thinking?  
  
He was now aware of the sinking feeling in his heart. Guilt, and longing. He had betrayed his grandfather once again, and also had managed to create a mess between Tyson and Hilary, as well as screwing himself over. All within a few sweet seconds.  
  
  
  
"Hey, I'm gonna go help Hilary prepare the picnic basket. Wanna come?" Tyson asked Max. Tyson's stomach growled rather loudly, making Max laugh slightly.  
  
"Hah, no thanks, Ty. I think I'll stay out here and practise with Draciel. It's been a long time," Max replied.  
  
Tyson's face fell for a fraction of a moment, but instantly a smile formed. "Yeah. Have fun," he said, as he turned around and walked back to the house.  
  
He went inside, finding the kitchen rather... empty. "Hilary... Hilary? Hi-- AAH!!" Tyson jumped as he felt someone grab him. "Hey, not funny," he said, seeing Hilary laughing, her arms still around him.  
  
"Yes it was," she said, sniggering. "What brings you here?"  
  
"Oh, I thought I'd help you with the picnic lunch," he grinned.  
  
"Tyson? Help? Ahah, that's a good one," she teased. "What did you do this time?" Tyson put on a mock hurt face.  
  
"Nothing! Can't a guy be nice without being accused of doing something bad? Just trying to be nice! ...Aheh, and I'm hungry," he grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Right," Hilary rolled her eyes. "Let's get to it then, shall we?"  
  
"We shall!" Tyson shouted, raising his fist in the air. "I call sandwich- filler! And snack-packer! You can do... all the other, healthy stuff." Hilary sighed, then smiled. That was Tyson for you.  
  
A gigantic lunch was packed, filled with healthy food and junk. And all those in between. "Can you believe Mr D actually thought to include a picnic basket among all this stuff?" Tyson mused. "Way to go Mr D! Despite getting us into this and all, at least this is one plus!"  
  
"Tyson!" Hilary half scolded, half laughed at his bluntness. "Let's eat here," she suggested. Tyson dropped the picnic basket, and Hilary began to lay out the blanket.  
  
"How come you only had to carry the blanket and I had to lug this heavy picnic basket all the way here?" Tyson grinned.  
  
"Because, Tyson, you put so much stuff in the picnic basket. That's why it's heavy! Besides, it's good training!"  
  
"Training for what? No point, now that Dragoon's gone," he muttered.  
  
"Tyson! What did we talk about this morning?! Ugh, I can't believe we went through this for 3 whole hours and you STILL don't get it!" Hilary groaned. "There's NEVER a point at which you should give up! Just keep getting better, and--"  
  
"Yeesh, okay, enough!" Tyson said, laughing. "I was JOKING, Hilary! Can't you take a joke? You know you got plenty through to me. You mean so much to me... I mean, you can still make me smile after all of this! How couldn't I be okay with you here to cheer me up?" he said, his voice suddenly gentle and sweet. His eyes were so cute and innocent, staring straight at her. It made her melt.  
  
Before either of them knew it, their hands were intertwined, just as their eyes were locked. Neither turned to look away, they just stared straight into the others' eyes. And they knew what would happen next without saying a word. It was fate.  
  
Their lips met, and time seemed to stand still. Adrenaline coursed through their bodies, a sudden rush of excitement and warmth flooding them. They pulled away after a few moments, but it had seemed like eternity. A sweet, sensational eternity. They sat, side by side, not saying a word.  
  
Tyson wrapped his arm around her, a smile playing on his lips. "Like I said, you're always there to make things better."  
  
"Just like a sandwich, huh," Hilary grinned. "Let's eat."  
  
Hilary began unpacking the picnic, laying everything neatly on the blanket in front of them. Max came walking down the path and joined them. "Hey guys, what's up?" he asked, grinning.  
  
"The sky," Tyson said. "And a sandwich."  
  
"A sandwich?!" Max asked. He looked up, and a sandwich hit him smack dab in the face.  
  
"Hahahah gotcha Maxie!" Tyson grinned. His arm was still outstretched from throwing the sandwich.  
  
"Dude, who throws a sandwich," Max laughed. He began to eat the sandwich that had just hit him in the face. Tyson began stuffing his face with another sandwich.  
  
Hilary grinned, sweat-dropping. Tyson was the master of mood changes. 'Boys, so immature. A sandwich?! That's a new one... really, how does Tyson do it?!' She grabbed a sandwich of her own and began to munch on it. When she had finished her first sandwich, she noticed Tyson and Max were already on their fifth.  
  
Hilary was watching them have yet another eating contest, as she slowly munched on her second. Then she remembered - she had a decision to make. She abruptly stood up, causing both boys to stop momentarily.  
  
"Mmph--"Max held up a finger, telling her to wait one second. He chewed and swallowed, then continued. "Where are you going, Hilary?" he asked.  
  
"Oh... I'm going back to the house. I... have to check on Rei," she muttered. Tyson cocked his head.  
  
"Look, Hil. I spent three hours spilling to you, so I think you owe us some idea of what's really going on. I know you're going to check on Rei, but what else is it? I know there's more to it," Tyson said.  
  
Hilary faltered, then sighed. "Okay... it's like this." She proceeded to tell Max and Tyson about Dr D's demands.  
  
When she had finished, they were still silent.  
  
"I see," Tyson said. "It would really be nice to have Dragoon back... but no. Don't, Hilary. I can... deal," he said, although his voice seemed to betray him.  
  
"I can understand the pressure this must put on you," Max said softly. "Don't worry about it, though. We'll totally forgive you. We won't even care, really. Here, you can give him Draciel," he said quietly.  
  
Hilary swallowed, tears forming again. But they never did fall. Tyson gently wiped away the tears from her face, smiling. She forced a smile on her pale face. "Hilary, don't cry. Especially not now. Save them for when you really need them. Not now."  
  
The smile on her face was no longer forced. "Thanks, you guys," she said softly. "I hope you understand, and can forgive me for what I have to do. I'll catch you later," she said, and walked down the dirt path, lost in thought. She had to talk to Kai.  
  
  
  
Parks around the world were deserted and empty, beydishes abandoned, as had been for weeks now. The streets seemed dull, as the laughter of children ceased. A small boy buried his face in his hands, weeping openly on the sidewalk. There was no reaction; it was as if he no longer existed. Tears were to be expected, after a funeral has taken place. Especially when the funeral is for the five people you care most about in this cold world.  
  
It had taken place just a day ago. Thousands of friends, family and fans had gathered to pay their last respects. Kenny vaguely remembered meeting so many new people, all to mourn the loss of the Bladebreakers. Mr Dickenson had arranged a funeral for them, "together until the end," he had said.  
  
They had come from around the world; that's how much they were missed. Kenny remembered seeing all the bladers and teams that he would probably never see again, not now that the Bladebreakers were no longer. The Saint Shields, Team Psykick, Zeo, the Majestics, the AllStarz...  
  
The White Tigers were still in China, some of Rei's relatives had informed Kenny. They were in an isolated area in the mountains, leaving shortly after receiving Kenny's own letter. Kenny was in awe of how many people of Rei's village had come all the way to Japan to honour him. That's how respected Rei was, even though his stays in China were becoming more and more scarce. They had told him that although the village would have had a ceremony for the lost white tiger, "Japan is just as much a part of him, with his friends is where he belongs."  
  
Kenny remembered meeting up with the AllStarz and Judy. They were crying, every one of them. He thought Tyson, Kai or Rei probably would have made some sarcastic joke if they had seen the teary-eyed jocks. Of course, it was anything but laughable. Judy was a total wreck, as was every other person there. Kenny noted that even Alan had come all the way from the States.  
  
Tyson's father had come to the funeral, and Kenny had heard him talking to himself. He obviously regretted not spending enough time with his son, never really getting to know him well. Grandpa - or Mr Granger, now, it wouldn't be right to call him grandpa - was in tears, no longer the wacky old man he used to know.  
  
Ms Kincade and their entire eighth grade class had come. They made up a small part of the thousands of people that had come to the open ceremony held for all of them. They all wept; it was a tragic sight, to see so many kids mourning.  
  
He noticed, despite the thousands of fans and friends, that there seemed to be empty spaces, where family was meant to be. Tyson had no mother. Max's parents were not together. Hilary's father was not present. If Rei had parents, they weren't here. And there was nobody for Kai.  
  
Kenny had run to his parents, sobbing yet ever so grateful that they were there for him. Yes, it was now that he loved them more than ever.  
  
Now he sat in an alley, alone and lost. Nobody would find him here; nobody cared. He was nobody now, a lone nobody. The tears stung, leaving seemingly permanent trails down his once innocent face.  
  
  
  
Rei's breathing was shallow, his complexion unhealthily pale. His body lay tense yet weak, hardly moving except for his sharp breathing. He was sweating, suffering from an immensely high fever.  
  
His eyes were shut, and he was just barely conscious. Pain was ringing through his head, making him feel dizzy and nauseous just from lying down. He could hear something... voices?  
  
"...I'm so sorry, but this is my decision... Please forgive me. I know how much Dranzer means to you," Hilary said, tears falling from her face. Kai put his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"I told you, it's not your fault," he said. "So stop blaming yourself. I... want to do this. For Rei."  
  
Hilary nodded, and wiped the tears from her eyes. She took a step forward, and breathed deeply. "I've made my decision, Dr D, wherever you are... I'm ready."  
  
"Excellent, dear," his cold voice came. "I must say, I didn't believe you had the nerve to make the choice."  
  
"You underestimate the Bladebreakers, Dr D," Hilary said, finding her voice. "This was more than my own decision, it's on behalf of the whole team. But now, I'm sure that I've made the right choice. I want you to return Driger to Rei," she said confidently.  
  
He laughed cruelly. "Confident, are we," he said maliciously. "Not a problem. Kai, say goodbye to Dranzer one last time. You'll never see her again."  
  
Kai gritted his teeth in anger and pain. He clutched Dranzer tightly, turning his knuckles white. 'Dranzer, I'm sorry. I vowed I would never let you out of my sight again... and here I am, breaking that promise already. I hope... I see you again,' he said mentally. 'Goodbye, Dranzer. My friend.'  
  
Dranzer rose out of her bit-chip, crimson feathers spreading out majestically. Rei's eyes fluttered open to catch a glimpse at the magnificent, glorious bit-beast, glowing with a scarlet aura. She emitted a final cry, before vanishing in front of their eyes.  
  
A glowing red feather landed in Kai's open hand, rapidly dimming. The glow faded, and when he clenched his fist, Dranzer was gone.  
  
Max held out his beyblade, and Draciel emerged. Tyson and Max stared up into the sky, Draciel stood strong and powerful. He gave one last roar, turning to look at Max, before disappearing.  
  
"Bye," Max whispered under his breath. Tyson clapped his friend on the shoulder for comfort.  
  
"See ya soon," Tyson whispered softly. "I'm proud of you Maxie."  
  
A golden glow filled the room. "Driger?" Rei whispered, feeling his presence. He held out his beyblade, letting him return to his bit. "Driger, I'm so glad you're back," he whispered. He turned to face his friends in front of him. "Thanks," he said softly, before drifting off.  
  
Kai and Hilary left the room, leaving him to sleep peacefully. "Will he be okay?" Hilary asked.  
  
"I hope so, Hilary. I hope so." Kai knew that Rei would have soon died. He had seen people at the Abbey sick one day, never seen again. But now he stood a better chance, with Driger by his side. He turned to face her, his cold grey eyes giving her one last glance. She could see sadness in them. He blinked it back, and walked away.  
  
  
  
"Okay guys, we've had enough slacking off. It's time for training!" Hilary shouted enthusiastically. "Even if you don't have your bit-beasts, we should still try! Okay, let's go for a run!" she suggested excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right. We need to improve... and maybe be able to live up to our world champion title, if we work hard enough. Let's go," Tyson said. When he was motivated, nothing would stop him.  
  
The four went on an hour-long run. They discovered that the path was a gigantic circle, and that they were completely isolated. Beyond the path, beyond forest and all other scenery, was an extremely thick cement wall that enclosed the property.  
  
After their run, Hilary led them through an intense workout - even more intense than the one Kenny had constructed. Push-ups, sit ups, crunches, stretching, aerobics, gymnastics - you name it, they went through it.  
  
When they were finally through, they all collapsed onto the path, panting heavily, gasping for air.  
  
Kai got up and left, returning a few minutes later. They had barely noticed he had left, as they caught their breath. He returned with a huge stash of drinks, which they all took gratefully.  
  
"Thanks, Kai," they managed to say, after downing multiple drinks each.  
  
Hilary gathered the extremely large accumulation of bottles and cans. She almost laughed at how much they could drink. Max had drunk 4 cans of soda and a large iced tea. Tyson had gulped down 2 "fruit" drinks, a bottle of lemonade, a can of soda and a bottle of water. Kai had consumed 2 bottles of water, a soda, a can of lemonade and a bottle of juice. She herself had managed to drink a bottle of water, a fruit drink and a diet soda.  
  
She set up an obstacle course for their beyblades. A large one, with 18 cans and plastic bottles. She wondered how Kai had managed to carry them all in one trip. "Okay guys! Let's see how you can handle this! Manoeuvre through the cans and bottles! Tyson, you go first."  
  
Tyson managed to get around 3 before hitting one. "Okay, then... good try. You just need to adjust, that's all. You'll get it." Tyson nodded.  
  
"Let it rip!" Max yelled, launching the now bit-beast-less blade. He got around the first, but hit the second.  
  
"Okay Max, just try and make the turns sharper. 'Kay?" Max nodded. "You're turn, Kai!"  
  
Kai launched his blade, and managed to get around 8. "Ooh! Good job, Kai! Keep it up!"  
  
They kept at it for an hour, until their moves were swift and smooth. Hilary was ecstatic. "Great job, guys! I knew you could do it!" she grinned, jumping up and down when Kai neatly dodged all 18 obstacles.  
  
"Uh Hil, now can we--"Tyson started.  
  
"Take a washroom break," Max finished.  
  
Hilary laughed at the urgency in their voices. "Those drinks kicking in now?" she teased. Tyson and Max nodded vigorously, grinning. They all started laughing, and headed back to the house. Rather quickly, too.  
  
As they pushed and shoved to get to the bathroom first, Kai silently slipped off to check on Rei. He saw he was softly asleep, and looked peaceful, for once. Despite still being sick and feverish, he looked content. Now that Driger was by his side, he looked dispirited no longer.  
  
Kai slipped out of the room as quietly as he had come, and felt he had definitely made the right decision. For once. For once, he didn't have the feeling of guilt with betrayal haunting him, dragging him down.  
  
When they had all finished, practise resumed outside. "Okay, guys!" Hilary yelled. "Max, Tyson! You go first!" They launched their blades and started attacking each other.  
  
Max ended up the winner after a few clashes of the blades. Kai and Max then battled. Kai caught Max off guard, quickly pulling off a win. The battles were both short, not getting very intense without their bit-beasts. Until Kai and Tyson's battle, that was.  
  
They launched their blades and began to fight. It was already intense, moments into the battle. Hilary and Max watched in awe. "Come on Dragoon!"  
  
"Go Dranzer!" The beast-less blades clashed head on again and again, neither giving way. Hilary watched with sparkling ruby eyes, her hands clasped to her heart.  
  
She seemed lost in their eyes, confused as ever. She was in a daze, mind racing. She was lost in another world, a world of dreams and sweet memories. She remembered each of their lips on her own, and chills raced through her.  
  
"Hello? Did you see that? They finished," Max said, waving his hand in front of her face. She blinked, and was brought back to reality. "Man, that was intense! And it ended up in a perfect tie."  
  
"Yeah," she whispered. "A perfect tie."  
  
  
  
END OF CHAPPIE  
  
Wow, that was jam-packed full of emotions and such. Vote for KaiHil or TyHil!  
  
I hope you liked it!! Tell me what you thought. Review please!!  
  
Penguin Pop 


	19. Confrontations

So sorry for the wait! I know I took forever. Please forgive me!

Thank you all for the amazing reviews and suggestions! I can't BELIEVE how many I got for the last chapter!!! I'm ecstatic!! Nope, beyond that! Only hope I can live up to a high expectation now. Thanks all for voting!

Yes! I'm so happy G Rev is finally here! It's sooo amazing!! I love it! I already dislike Daichi though. Ugh... He's like Tyson in the first series but more immature, an uglier voice... and the clothes... do I dare say worse?? Oh, and a strange thing in the middle of his forehead. Okay, sorry to any Daichi lovers out there...

Okay, just clearing some things up. Rei IS most definitely an important part to the Bladebreakers. It was just his feelings at the time. He was left pretty much alone for days, and he can barely do anything. It's only natural for him to think of excuses.

As for the evil doctor, he is a total psychopath, completely out of his mind and insane. He gave Hilary the decision, because he knew that he was guaranteed a bit-beast. He knew that she would decide, and if she hadn't they wouldn't have given up their bit-beasts. It's semi-complicated.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Don't you get that by now? Honestly...

So enough rambling! On with the fic!

Twisted Fate

Chapter 19: Confrontations

Hilary sat awake in the dark, moonlight falling across her face. She was exhausted, but couldn't fall asleep. The others were fast asleep, out like a light after a day of intensity. She, too, had proven herself and had gone through with the training. She would do anything to support her friends.

She blinked, ruby eyes scanning the beds and their occupants. Max's innocent, sound asleep form, rose and fell as he breathed deeply in his slumber. He smiled slightly in his sleep, as he curled up in a ball.

Beside the sweet, gentle blond lay Tyson, who was so deeply asleep one could mistake him for dead. His hands lay by his head, relaxed. The only way one could tell he was only asleep was the gentle sound of snoring. However, it wasn't his normal, obnoxious snoring. It was merely his breathing, softly and deeply. Like a sweet infant.

Beside him slept Kai, his cold demeanour broken, and a different, more innocent side seemed to shine in the moonlight. His slate hair fell in his face. He, like the others, was far off in his own dreams. Hilary knew she couldn't wake them if she tried. But she wouldn't. Instead, she remained watching over them.

She stared at the two intently, content merely to watch them. She longed to hold Tyson's hands in hers - they seemed to reach out to her. She wanted to brush the slate bangs from Kai's face. But she wouldn't. She would remain there, until her exhaustion won over.

There was a slight ring of the alarm clock, as it did every morning at 3:00. The quiet, muted beep was amplified in the silence. Hilary's eyes shifted over to the bright red digital numbers on the face. It was the only other source of light in the room than that from the window, revealing the bright, silver moon.

She walked to the full-length mirror and looked at her reflection. 'Pretty. Pretty average,' she thought to herself, sighing. She admired the new clothes, though. Had Mr Dickenson really done this all for them? These new clothes were rather expensive, much more so than her usual attire. And so were the outfits for the others. They were matched to their own style, up to headbands and shoes, but even more trendy and costly.

Mr Dickenson must have gone to the trendiest teen stores and purchased several outfits for each of them. He had probably got a discount on all the clothes; after all, the Bladebreakers were worldwide celebrities and teen idols. But still, it was such a kind gesture! Along with the entire trip with the cruise boat, hotel, masses of food, and the very house they were staying in! And she wasn't even a beyblader herself, and neither was Kenny. Well, not a very good one, anyway. Yet he still acted so kindly towards them. The Bladebreakers were like his grandchildren.

Hilary continued to stare out the window, toying with her chocolate hair. She twirled a lock of hair absentmindedly, staring out to the starry night sky. She figured Kenny would be looking at the same picture, sharing the same view. She wondered how he was doing now, without them.

Kenny wasn't sharing the vision of the beautiful moon. And not because he was asleep, he had hardly slept at all since the news was broken to him. Though his clock read 3:00, but he didn't look. He hadn't looked, didn't care anymore.

The lights were still on, artificial glare cloaking the soft moonlight. His room was small, yet seemed so big as he sat all alone. He had never really minded being alone - he was a loner. Not like Kai had been, mind you. Kai wasn't a total **loser**, like himself. Kai had been respected and admired, and who could blame them? Kai was more alone because he was completely independent. Kenny was one of those people that no matter how hard you try, you will never be noticed. Maybe laughed at, stand out because you're such a loser, but that's it.

A little Kai plushie sat on his desk, books and papers having been shoved off messily to make way for the dolls. It was a chibi doll, so incredibly cute and innocent looking. Hard to believe they could make this look like Kai, however they had pulled it off, and well. His deep grey eyes had been captured perfectly in the little representation, looking deep and dark yet filled with fire; and soft slate bangs fell loosely in his face, just as the real Kai's did. Blue triangles were painted delicately yet fiercely on his pale face. Small life-like clothes dressed the little doll, even including his belt and pockets. He was beside a Tyson plushie. Kenny shoved the Kai doll to the side, isolating him. Kai hadn't deserved that spot. He hadn't even tried, yet had become closest friends with Tyson, Rei and Max, and Hilary too. Their circle of friendship that he wasn't considered a part of. Despite how hard Kenny had tried to get into it, he never quite fit in. And Kai was so respected and a part of them, even if he was a total jerk... 'What am I thinking?' Kenny asked himself. 'Sorry Kai, I was being selfish again. You were a great friend... pulling through, saving the day at the last minute, even if I was there from the beginning... You deserved that respect and friendship from the Bladebreakers more than I ever did... How, I only wish I knew...' Kenny had tried so hard... but had Tyson ever really wanted that friendship? No, Kenny was more like a dorky little pest that was only good for when Tyson needed help.

Tyson's little counterpart was just as realistic as Kai's. The chibi doll had giant deep brown eyes, full of a sweet innocence and energy. He had a backwards cap over midnight blue hair. The doll smiled, and happiness almost radiated from the doll. Well, it would for most kids, but it only hurt more as it harshly reminded Kenny he would never see that smile again. He felt he would never be happy again, without them. Tyson was a genuinely nice guy. He was friendly and kind, and would do anything for his friends. Except maybe Kenny... Kenny would always try and ask Tyson to do something, never for Kenny's benefit, but for his own, but Tyson would just laugh it off. Until he realised it would actually help him, which he would realise after Max, Rei or Kai had said so. Why did Kenny even put up with him? Oh, right, because Tyson put up with him. Merely put up with, though. However, it was better than anything else Kenny had ever had.

A little Rei doll sat in white and black; bright curious amber eyes stared back at Kenny. A little red bandanna, raven bangs that framed his pale face. His adorable little Chinese outfit and long wrapped hair just added to the chibi's cuteness. A little smile was on his face, both adorable and daring. That smile had won the hearts of so many girls. Kenny wished he could do that. When Kenny smiled, he just looked even more geeky and loserly than ever. He sighed, as he tried a half-hearted smile in the mirror. The mirror shattered. Kenny gritted his teeth with frustration and anger, knowing he looked just as stupid angry. He wished he could have girls instantly fall in love with him like Kai and Rei, or even Tyson and Max. But no, he was short and scrawny, with huge, thick glasses, and ugly hair. And underneath the bangs and glasses... well, lets say he hid it for a reason. He was quite plain and ugly. They had all laughed whenever Kenny had mentioned anything about a girl – he would never have a chance. When he had complimented Hilary, she had always looked uncomfortable, not in the way she might with Kai mind you, and had this look upon her face... as if she was completely disgusted by it and freaked out, as if a gigantic spider had just crawled in her lap.

Between the Tyson and Rei dolls sat the girl with chocolate brown hair and ruby eyes. The Hilary doll was absolutely adorable, so sweet and cute. She had always been nice to Kenny; maybe his closest friend ever. But he knew she didn't really do it out of friendship... more out of pity than anything else, and the fact that she hadn't really had any real friends before the Bladebreakers. She was just so nice, she couldn't help but be kind to Kenny, poor little nerd in desperate need of friendship. He had also used him to get to Tyson and the others. The Hilary doll was one of the most popular dolls - girls tended to buy dolls, and there were so many beyblade fans, and an increasing number of female beyblade fans. She came with multiple changeable outfits and accessories. Hilary was like an idol - she was strong, sweet and smart. And pretty, to top it all off. And, although Kenny was unaware, she had captured the hearts of two of the best beybladers on Earth.

At the other end sat a blond Max doll with enormous deep blue eyes. They matched his purposely over-sized miniature blue shirt with yellow stars. He was grinning his trademark smile. He had a nice personality, like Rei, which charmed girls too. Kenny didn't have a charming personality... it sort of scared people. First reaction – eww, an ugly nerd! He was awkward and talked a lot. However, others liked Tyson and Hilary, they were loud, opinionated and talkative, but Kenny just rambled about stupid little things. He was a nuisance.

Kenny missed them so much. Though ignored and hurt countless times, they had been his friends. Maybe he wasn't their best friend, but they had been his. He stared at all of the dolls, perfected down to the last detail. They had been extremely expensive, Kenny knew. Hilary's mother had given them to him; they were going to be Hilary's 15th birthday present. But now... She had given him the set of dolls with tears in her eyes, and Kenny knew that there were others grieving just as much as he.

So where was the Kenny doll? The Kenny doll was there, but he seemed invisible. No, he stood out, being the only ugly one of the bunch. It was absolutely hideous and comical at the same time. Yeah, they had gotten the dolls down perfectly. Large, round glasses were stuck on top of a large mass of untidy mousy hair. A classic loser smile was planted on his stupid face, as he held a miniature laptop. His face read 'kick me, I'm a nerd'.

WHUMP. As if to add insult to injury, the doll suddenly fell over on its face, not able to support the immense weight of his own, ugly head. Kenny jumped at the sudden noise, then felt his cheeks grow red with embarrassment and anger for the thing. He could hear their laughter in his head. Tyson, Max and Rei would be on the floor, laughing uncontrollably. Hilary would try to defend, 'Stop laughing you guys, it's not nice!' but soon after she would be joining them in the laughter after Max did an impression, Tyson teasing Kenny more and Rei making witty remarks. Even Kai would crack an amused smile as he holds up Hilary's giant lollipop to the doll, comparing, as the others break out in hysterics.

"Aargh!!" Kenny couldn't take anymore of his demented imagination and grabbed the stupid doll, throwing the stupid plushie in his closet. "That's where you belong, you retarded loner," he said bitterly.

So what about his other friends? He had no other friends. And just today, Zeo had informed Kenny that he was moving away. Well, he had barely. He had bumped into him on his wanderings, and had said to him, "Oh hey, Kenny. Huh? What's the rush? Oh, I'm moving away. Bye!" Yeah, that was it. Not exactly friendly. So who was left? School friends? No, he had no school friends. In fact, he never had had any. He had thought so... when in fact, they were all using him to get to Tyson. Or Hilary, maybe. But the fact was, after the Bladebreakers were gone, Kenny disappeared.

Rei woke to the early rays of dawn. His amber eyes opened lazily, a smile appearing on his face. The first decent sleep he'd had in a long time. Too long a time. After being sick for twelve whole days, he felt he was starting to recover. He blinked away any trace of sleep, and got up. He carelessly threw the blankets off of the sofa he had been sleeping on, realising he had barely been out of bed since they'd been here.

He walked into the main bedroom, noticing they were all seemingly deeply asleep. He slipped past them, careful not to wake them, and went into the closet, selecting some clothes from his wardrobe, and headed to the bathroom.

He inwardly grimaced at the thought that he hadn't bathed in the longest time. He stripped off his clothes, and threw them from him in disgust. He climbed into the shower, letting the water cleanse him.

After a long shower, Rei felt thoroughly refreshed. He got into fresh, clean clothes and stared into the mirror. He realised he had lost a LOT of weight. He had lost over 15 pounds, which was an insanely unhealthy amount for anyone, but especially for someone like Rei, who was already extremely slim.

He felt extremely weak, but he figured hunger was far better than nausea. He tied a red sash around his waist, and had to tie it really tightly. His clothes hung very loosely from his body, the tail ends of his sash were longer than they should be.

His eyes had a sort of hollow, out-of-it look. He splashed water in his face, attempting to wake up... But no, he couldn't just yet. He stifled a yawn, realising just how exhausted he was after... taking a shower? He shook his head, sighing, and walked out of the bathroom and to the kitchen.

He felt fatigued and drained, no matter how much he had slept. He felt like not doing anything at all, like he couldn't do anything. His head was starting to hurt again, a dull throbbing present. He groaned and held his head, wishing it would just go away. He laid his head down on the table, buried in his arms, but immediately sat up straight at the sound of the door opening.

Max entered the kitchen, awakened by the sunlight and feeling hunger in his stomach. He stretched and rubbed sleep from his eyes. He blinked a few times, then his crystal blue eyes shot open seeing Rei. "REI!" he shouted, running up to hug his friend.

Rei smiled, but raised his eyebrows as a mumbled "whuzzuh?" came from the bedroom. He put a finger to his lips, motioning for Max to be a little quieter.

"Nothing, Tyson," Max called back. "Sorry to wake—"he was interrupted by a loud snore. "Never mind," he muttered. "So Rei, what's up? How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better than I was," Rei answered, resting his head in his arms once again. "Uh... still tired, though." Max nodded.

"That's good, then," he said cheerily. "Hungry? You look famished," Max observed. Rei nodded, sighing slightly. Max held up a box of cereal, and Rei nodded slightly once again; yes, cereal would be okay.

As Max went to the cupboard to find bowls for the cereal, Rei struggled to stay awake. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, opening them immediately as a hand gently prodded him. Bowls of cereal and milk lay in front of him and Max, Max poking him to assure he was still awake. The difference between Rei's bowl and Max's - Rei's was of a neutral – normal – colour, while Max's was disgustingly bright and artificial, sugar caking the round balls of colour. "Here ya go, Rei," Max grinned, handing him a spoon.

Rei muttered a "thanks," and took it. He dipped the spoon in the bowl, watching its face disappear in the milk's opacity. It resurfaced, now with bits of grainy goodness floating in the white liquid. Rei lifted it to his mouth and crushed the cereal with his teeth, swallowing it. It felt strange, the foreign feeling of eating again. He ate slowly, and by the time he had finished half, Max was on his fourth bowl of sugarcoated sugar puffs.

Max mumbled something with his mouth full; Rei only could look at him quizzically, not knowing what the heck he was saying. Max swallowed, then restated his question. "You gonna finish your cereal? Want anything else to eat?" Rei shook his head.

"Thanks... but I think I'll just go back to bed. I'm exhausted," Rei said, emptying the bowl and putting the spoon and bowl in the dishwasher.

"Okie doke," Max said. "Sleep well, you're not looking so good. Sure you don't want any sugar?"

"Yeah, thanks," Rei muttered, leaving a content Max in the kitchen alone with his sugar puff cereal. He dragged himself to the main bedroom, and must have fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Max watched him leave, then walked to the cupboard to grab a candy bar. "Poor Rei," he said to himself, tossing the wrapper in the garbage can and wolfing down the last of the chocolatey goodness. He grabbed twenty pixy stix and some scissors. He cut the tops of the neon straws, then poured their contents in a bowl. Max grinned and grabbed a spoon.

He sat down, and started eating the sugar with a spoon. Spoonful after spoonful, the stuff went down his throat. Halfway through the sugar, his pupils were dilated and a manic grin was on his face. He suddenly saw a flash of light from the main bedroom, but shook it off as an effect of his sugar rush. He resumed eating his sugar; unlike his friends, he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

Hilary woke with a start, wondering when she had fallen asleep last night. She blinked, realising she wasn't in bed anymore. She was on the ground, grass strewn with dew from moisture that hung in the air. "Tyson!" she said, realising the dark-haired teen was lying beside her.

"Yeah?" he got up, rubbing his eyes. "What..." but he didn't finish his sentence, as they both stared at the scene in front of their eyes.

A small boy stood; tears glistened from his eyes. He had midnight blue hair and big brown eyes, now sad and tearful. "Why... why? Why did mommy leave?" he asked, voice choking. His father stood beside him, tears in his eyes too.

"I don't know, son... I guess it was her time," he said, his voice cracked. He tried to hide his own tears. Another boy stood with them. Silent tears rolled down his face. He had cloudy greyish blue hair, and auburn eyes.

The small boy cried out, reaching forward as crystal tears streamed down his cheeks. "Momma..."

The silent, older boy spoke now. "Don't worry, she's not gone... she's still here with us," he whispered. "In here," he said, pointing to the small boy's heart. The heartbroken boy stared up at the cloudy sky, reflecting the grim moment.

The toddler sniffled. His large brown eyes looked so sad, so full of pain, even if he didn't really understand. He just knew she was gone, he wouldn't see her again. "Bye, mommy... I love you..."

His dad picked up the small boy in his arms, which soon fell limp. He and his other son walked into the distance, tears clouding their vision, with the air of respect and mourning. They seemed to walk so slowly leaving the cold gravestone as the rain began to fall. Hilary just watched them walk away, shaken by the dreadfully sad sight. She shivered; they were in a graveyard. "Tyson?"

The teen was kneeling in front of the gravestone, fingering the petals of the flowers they had laid down. He traced the name etched in the stone with his finger delicately, taking in every last detail. His shoulders trembled; he was weeping. "Mom," he whispered.

The boy cried for what seemed eternity, tears endlessly falling down his pained face. He didn't often cry... but now, he couldn't help it. He was sobbing uncontrollably, letting loose all the pain, his tears of anguish and sorrow he had kept inside him all these years. He cried silently but shook as he felt alone and cold.

The girl, she just watched helplessly as the boy fell apart. She waited for what seemed like hours; she knew he had to let it all out. Finally, his sobbing seemed to subside. He coughed and shivered; the downpour of the rainstorm as well as the cold from the chilly autumn air was getting to him. She couldn't wait any longer. "Tyson," she whispered softly and ran to him.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him in a tight, caring embrace. He held on and cried into her, tears falling on her already soaked shirt. She gently stroked him, just as... just as a mother might, the one he had lost he and mourned right now. The mother he would never see again.

"What are we doing here," he finally whispered. "This... this is a memory, isn't it. It's like... like when we saw into Kai's past," he observed.

"You're right," she said softly. "Real nightmares... are you... okay?" she asked. 'Of course not,' she thought to herself, mentally punching herself for asking such a stupid question.

He straightened up, still holding onto her. He framed her face with his fingertips and looked deep into her ruby eyes, so wide and worried for him. "I am now," he said quietly, and kissed her gently.

Rei woke suddenly, as if he was being forced to open his eyes. "AH... wha?" he mumbled, recognising the place he was in no longer the bed he had fallen into. No, he was outside, on a dirt pathway now.

"You're up," Kai's familiar voice rang.

"Huh? Kai?" Rei said, confusedly. "What..."

"Yeah, that's me," he said. "You recognise this place? I think you might."

Rei's eyes narrowed as he looked, seeing... "The white tiger village! What? This is China!" he exclaimed, his eyes flashing wide at once. Kai nodded solemnly.

"Sometimes you regret leaving here," Kai said suddenly to Rei.

"Huh? Oh... yeah..." he said quietly, his light brown eyes were sad and distant. To his surprise, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to see grey eyes, with hints of sympathy. He shook it off, and straightened up, and the two headed to the village guided by the soft moonlight that fell.

They walked up to someone, although they didn't stop when they saw the two teens. "Hello?" Rei called. He shrugged. "Hello?!" he called to another, but they as well did not seem to hear or see them.

Two people walked right past them, talking amongst themselves. "...Gone... yes, Rei Kon went missing this evening..."

"Huh..? This happened 2 years ago," Rei remarked. "This must be..." Kai nodded, confirming his unspoken observation.

"That would be my family," Rei pointed out in the distance. Kai couldn't really see; they were far off and looked the same as everyone else the village. He could sense something in Rei's voice, though.

"Do you ever miss them?" Kai asked. Although his voice showed no concern or enthusiasm, Rei was used to it. Rei knew what he meant; Rei had spent almost the entire past two years away from home, in Japan or competing in tournaments around the world.

"No." Kai cocked an eyebrow; he was surprised at the simple, blunt answer. "I don't... they don't really care about me," Rei said simply. Kai just nodded, understanding entirely what that was like.

"There's the village elder, Lee's grandfather," he said, breaking a silence. "There's the rest of his family." He shrugged. "I guess I got to know Lee and Mariah so well because they were always over... they were like family. Are like family."

Kai knew Rei was thinking about the White Tiger team, missing them and regretting his decision again. Kai just stood silent, letting Rei lose himself in a memory. He vaguely wondered how the whole hair colouring worked; Mariah's parents had a dull sort of black hair, and they surely didn't have hair dye in this village...

"There's Mariah," Rei said, half wishing he wasn't invisible and could stay; then he wouldn't trouble them, he would never have broken hearts and promises. "And Lee..." his voice trailed off. All the children of the village (which were very few) came out, followed by their parents. Soon, the whole village was outside, with torches and candles to guide their search.

Rei watched silently, painfully, as the village began their search for him. They endlessly called his name, searching blindly in the dark. It was pointless; he was gone.

The villagers searched until sunrise, Rei watching them the whole time. Kai sat with his eyes closed, although he was not asleep. He wasn't sure whether to allow Rei to watch this less than pleasant scene unfold; he had a right to, but Kai knew it would only bring hurt. It already had.

Tears welled in Rei's eyes. He watched, taking in all of this, as days passed before his eyes. Now, he watched as Mariah cried, her friends trying in vain to console her.

"I hate him," she sobbed. "I hate Rei!" she screamed, as Rei sat nearly beside her. The village had come to the conclusion that he had left.

"We know, Mariah," Lee said. "We all hate him. For what he's done to us... He left us, he took the White Tiger... he betrayed us."

"Rei... I swear," Mariah choked. "I can't... can't ever forgive you for what you've done," she said, choking and sniffling. "I loved you... and y-you left me... I hate you..."

Any mourning soon turned to anger within the village. The whole village seemed to hate him. Even his parents, they were not upset that he had left. Rather, they were ashamed of him. Talk was no longer of Rei; they all wanted to forget him. Only the whispers among the kids remained, telling stories and reminding each other just how bad he was. How he never WAS that role model, how he never WAS their leader anyway.

They had watched in silence like ghosts as the past fast-forwarded before them. Maybe a week had passed there, but it was only a few hours at most... Rei was silent; he had been focusing on the village, deep in thought and sad with regret. Kai had been silent with respect for Rei. But now, he broke the silence.

"Rei, are you okay?" he asked cautiously. Rei's eyes swiftly made contact with his grey ones. "You realise he's just trying to break you down," he said, referring of course to Dr D.

"Yeah... I'm alright," he said. "I didn't realise just how much pain I had caused... and I'm sorry for it. But they'll be fine... and will forgive me."

"They are, they've already forgiven you. You know that. Lee forgave you at the Asian tournament last year. And Mariah, she seems to have made it through pretty well, despite everything," he reassured. Rei nodded.

"I guess so... thanks. Mariah, she's... strange. Despite all the times I've left her, she keeps coming back for me... She stayed with me in the hospital last year... She put herself in the hospital recently, for me..." he was whispering now. "And I told her, I have told her so many times... that I couldn't love her... yet she keeps coming back. Why doesn't she understand...?"

"Maybe because she doesn't want to," Kai said slowly, looking up at the sky. "Even if she knows she can't have you, she doesn't want to let go..." he stopped, sighing. He didn't want to go any further; the more he thought about Rei's predicament, the more he seemed to understand what Mariah was going through. He knew he could never have Hilary, but... "Come on, we have to get out of here. You're not well."

"I suppose," Rei said, looking up at the sky. "Sorry Dr D; looks like we got through this one too. If you want the usual friend-team-stick-together-help-through lecture, go ask Tyson," he grinned. Kai gave a slight smile; Tyson tended to do that after everything. "I apologise for ruining your plans, but you haven't broken me yet."

"Darn."

Eyes closed, the two stood in the rain for what seemed to be eternity – a beautiful, sweet eternity...

"You got any nightmares?" Tyson asked. "Anything horrific from your past that I can maybe brace myself for? Any deaths, abuse, losses...?"

Hilary smiled and shook her head. "Like I've said before, my life has been completely boring... in fact, I'd say that's the worst thing of all about my life. I've always been alone. Sure, I had a clique and all. But I was alone, even then... I guess it was only when I met you, Tyson... my eyes were opened to a whole different world..."

Tyson smirked to himself as the rain continued to fall. "I'll bet he's searching through your past for something... something so gut-wrenchingly painful and terrifying you'll be crying... and I'll be crying, too... hahah too bad Dr D!" he proceeded to make faces while dance around in a mocking manner.

Hilary rolled her eyes. "You moron."

"Sorry Dr D, Hilary's completely boring, you won't find anything in her head besides a big mess of jumbled smartness... and probably some rocks..." WHAM. Hilary socked him in the face.

Tyson wasn't sure if it was just from the punch but everything started swirling around... soon he knew it wasn't the punch – it was Dr D's work. He became so dizzy he blacked out, and when he finally opened his eyes... "Hey! We're back at the house!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

Hilary smiled, suddenly shouting with surprise as Tyson roughly dragged her inside the house. "Hey guys we're ho—"what he saw made him stop dead in his tracks. His world came crashing down. Hilary's smile faltered.

She swallowed hard, cursing herself mentally. She stared down at the floor, and as she shifted her gaze upwards she could see Tyson's hurt and betrayed expression. It hurt her too.

Standing in the doorframe of the bedroom, the memory that burned in Hilary's mind played... "I... do care about you," Kai told her softly, gently caressing her face and bare shoulders. Then, they kissed... the mere memory sent shivers down Hilary's spine.

It hurt Hilary to see Tyson's face. Anger, hurt, betrayal, sadness... Tears of guilt fell down Hilary's cheeks. Tyson's voice was not his own when he next spoke. "I thought..." he choked, his voice oddly strangled. Silence engulfed them. "Forget it," he said coldly, and ran.

He didn't know where he was going... but he couldn't stay there with _her_. He noticed the memory melting, dissolving as he ran, but his mind was blurred with many thoughts.

The memory of China started to fade; Rei and Kai found themselves back at the house when they opened their eyes again. Well, not quite at the house, rather they were outside the house and heard a very familiar voice.

"You mean so much to me... I mean, you can still make me smile after all of this! How couldn't I be okay with you here to cheer me up?" Tyson's voice came. They walked to see Tyson and Hilary sitting on a picnic blanket together. Rei looked bewildered, wearing a quizzical look. He never thought Tyson would admit it. And Kai, he just stared down at the grass, letting his bangs shadow his eyes.

Rei watched as the two locked hands, staring into the other's eyes with a sweet passion. They moved closer and closer until their lips met. They stayed like that for a few moments, pleasure and longing flushed across their faces.

Kai glanced up long enough to see the scene and felt a wave of coldness wash through him. Like he was drowning inside, a salty ocean of tears. His heart went cold; he could feel it spread. It hurt.

Why should he even care? He knew it all along, that she liked Tyson better. He couldn't help but hear Voltaire's voice echoing over and over again in his head. But he was right. Kai felt so weak right now, so broken and lost. And he wouldn't be feeling this way if it weren't for them. Crushed, weakened, used... After everything he'd been through, how could he let her destroy him like this? He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the verbal abuse instilled upon him and take his mind off of her.

But he couldn't. No matter how hard he had tried to suppress it, it hurt. Hurt to know that she didn't feel the same way about him, that she felt the same way about Tyson. Because he loved her smile, how she cared about him... or so he had thought. It stung like crazy; he could feel it in his eyes. He felt so cold...

"Are you... okay?" Rei asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Cold?"

"Huh?" Kai looked up, realising he had been shivering, shaking slightly. "Oh..." Kai just looked at him with an expression even Rei couldn't quite read. He looked rather out of it, sort of... helpless.

"Kai, are you feeling okay? You seem sort of... sick or something," Rei said, narrowing his eyes. "What's up?"

Kai just blinked. "Sorry... forget about it," he said, shaking it off. Rei rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, Kai. Something's wrong. Tell me, Kai. Are you okay?" he demanded, gripping both of his shoulders. Kai's eyes clouded over for a split second before he blinked it back and turned away.

Rei sighed. That look had told him, no, he wasn't okay. He hadn't lied and said yes, and he hadn't said out front that he wasn't. But the expression was proof enough. Rei noticed the scene fading, but Kai – he didn't notice a thing.

Next thing Tyson knew, he was in bed. In the very bedroom he had run from. He could still feel his eyes burn with cold tears. He didn't cry. He wouldn't cry. He blinked them back, shook it off. He glanced at her, waking from the dream as well. He shot her a cold glare, then got out of bed.

Tyson decided to have a shower... to wash off any hurt feelings, to take his mind off things, to scrub away her touch that burned in his mind.

Why did he even care? He hadn't even asked her out. He supposed it was because he was afraid of rejection... and she probably would have, wouldn't she? She liked Kai... Tyson clenched the soap and it slipped out of his grasp. He was shaking with sadness and fury. He shouldn't be angry with Kai; it was never his fault. But _her_, she led him on into thinking that she liked him.

No, he was _stupid_ enough to think that she could ever like him. Actually, he was so conceited as to think that she might even... _love him_. Love him in the way that he loved her. His eyes burned at this thought. Did he still love her?

"Hey Hilary," Rei mumbled. He had woken up to find himself in bed. He sat up, shaking his head. "Man, all this blacking out and waking up and blurred reality is really getting to me..."

Hilary smiled, but it was hollow. "So... what did you guys see, then?" she asked, as both Kai and Rei sat up.

"Oh, uh... well I saw what happened when I left China years ago," Rei said, wincing. "Just, you know, mind games. He had me second-guessing my choice to join the Bladebreakers and my friends, and killing my self-esteem... I'm totally fine though," he said, seeing Hilary's worried expression. "Yeah, with a bit of help from Kai I saw through it all, realising why I did what I did and appreciating it even more. Oh, yeah, we saw a little... scene," he said, smirking. "Picnic... ring a bell?"

Hilary gasped. "Oh... no..." she paled. "Please, no..."

"Hey, it's okay," Rei grinned. "I mean, it was so obvious, we knew it would happen eventually. Like Max kept saying, you were _meant_ for each other!" Hilary swallowed uncomfortably.

She tried to speak, but words wouldn't come. She only stared at the look in Kai's eyes. They were cold and sad. He glanced at her, flashing a look of regret, betrayal and helplessness. He abruptly stood up and walked towards the kitchen, white scarf trailing behind him.

"That was just completely uncalled for," Hilary snapped. He cocked an eyebrow, still not understanding. Then, it dawned on him like a brilliant flash of light.

Rei's jaw dropped. "Oh... are you serious? Oh man, I never would have guessed—"

"Hey!" Hilary smacked Rei on the head, fist raised to strike again.

"No, I didn't mean that! Heheh I meant about him, not you. But I can't believe I never had thought about... okay, I'll stop before I get into any more trouble," he grinned, sweat-dropping. Hilary rolled her eyes. "But seriously, that's a pretty bad mess," he said in a hushed voice.

"I know," she choked. He could see tears glistening in her eyes. "I feel so bad... I didn't even think about it. It just happened. I feel so selfish. I'm not worthy of either of them."

"Yeah," was all Rei managed to whisper. "Did you and Kai ever—"

"Kiss? Yes," she whispered. "And Tyson saw, just as Kai did Tyson and I. I never meant for any of it..."

"What do you want," Rei asked calmly. "Or who, rather."

"I... I... don't know," she said, on the verge of hysterics. "That's the thing... I loved them both. I'm so shallow. I never even thought about the consequences."

"Obviously not," Rei said, somewhat harsher than he meant. He saw more tears come before she buried her face in a pillow, and his expression softened. "But really, Hilary, you're not shallow. They're both great guys – they're my best friends. Really different, but both awesome friends. Now I think you should immediately go talk to them. They might not want to talk to you, so give them time, but let them know that you're willing – that you want to sort this out. I'm sure whatever happens, all will be forgiven."

Hilary looked up, eyes shining. "Thanks, Rei," she said, giving him a hug. "You're the best."

"I know," he said, as she walked out of the room. "Good luck," he muttered under his breath. This would be difficult.

She had managed to convince the two to sit down at the kitchen table, with some assistance from Rei in Tyson's case. Rei was there to make sure everyone understood everything – reasons, explanations, mistakes. He stood silently against the wall behind Hilary. Tyson sat, looking the other way with an uncharacteristic glare. Kai sat legs crossed, head down with eyes closed. Hilary sat facing them both, teary-eyed.

"Hilary, why don't you explain to them... everything," Rei said, nodding at her.

"I... I'm so sorry," she said, breaking down in tears. The way Kai looked at her from beneath those bangs crushed her. Tyson wasn't looking at her.

"Tyson," Rei whispered. "Just give her a chance." He reluctantly turned to face her, nothing but coldness in his eyes.

"I don't know why. I'm selfish, I know. I... wasn't thinking. The truth is, I liked... I love both of you. I was just confused... a silly little lost girl, lost in this world new to me of blinding feelings. I feel so stupid for saying this to you, but I was even more so when I didn't tell you the truth outright. But... you're the best friends I have ever had. I hoped... I hoped for more. I didn't even think... I just led you on deeper into this tangled web."

"Web of the black widow," Tyson said cruelly. More tears came.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'll never be good enough for you. I know you hate me! Just stop... stop making me think about... about..." she broke down again.

"About what? About how well Kai kisses? About how much you love him?" Tyson's voice was cold.

"Shut up, Tyson," Rei intervened. "Well, Hilary?"

"About how this was all better before I came. About how I've ruined everything," she whispered.

"No, it's my fault," Kai said, speaking for the first time.

"Stop defending her," Tyson cut in. "It's completely her fault. Are you blind? You're stupider than I thought, falling for her. Stupid like me. I can't believe—"

"Enough!" Rei shouted. "Honestly. Now—"

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Max entered the room looking cheerful and sunny.

"Hahaha oh it's nothing, Max! Nothing at all," Tyson grinned.

"Yeah," Rei said, smiling. "Hey, do you want to go outside? We haven't trained in a while. It'll be fun," he smiled.

"Sure," Max grinned lopsidedly. "Uh... I'm not interrupting..."

"It was nothing. Really." Tyson glared, his smile disappeared as fast as it had come as he looked at them. It was a look of icy venom. "Just frivolous things like my own fee—"

"Bye," Rei cut in. "See you later." Rei sent him a warning glance, that Tyson knew meant 'Don't let Max know, it would crush him to see his friends fight.' Tyson nodded. "Alright, Max, jogging or blading first," he could be heard as they left the house.

"I'll... go too," Kai said, leaving Tyson and Hilary to talk. He glanced at her, but Hilary couldn't read his expression. He left the room swiftly, his scarf billowing behind him.

"I guess it's just you and me," Tyson said. Hilary nodded. "Let's just get this over with. Do you want me to tell you how I feel, then? I'll tell you anyway. Hilary, we were friends. I liked you. Really. Ever since you showed your personality, the one under that preppy cover. I've liked you for a long time. The others knew you were always on my mind.

"Anyway, I thought my dreams were coming true when you returned my affections. I had dreamed of that kiss for so long. Just to touch you, hold you. That's how much I loved you. And that fateful day when our lips met, sitting on a picnic blanket, I thought we were meant to be. That I would love you and you would love me, forever. But I guess I thought wrong.

"I was so blind, oblivious. I thought that I would actually have a chance. No, I didn't even think about chance. I thought it was our destiny, our fate to be together. But I guess fate is twisted.

"I was so happy, and I continued to live in this perfect world. Any sadness from losing Dragoon, from being stranded who-knows-where, melted when I was with you. I loved you so much.

"And then I saw it. I saw through that selfish bubble when I saw you loved somebody else. My heart shattered, like ice. You had given me hope, given me dreams and then destroyed them, to fall down deeper into the darkness than I had ever been before."

Hilary was in tears by now. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. Tyson's face was cold and serious, just as his voice had been. He just watched her cry at his words, emotionlessly.

He just got up and left after a while. _'There's nothing more to say,'_ he told himself.

She lay on the bed crying her heart out. She was lost, alone, and confused. Heart broken, she was a total mess. She felt cold without anyone beside her – but who could blame them? The only friends she ever had, and she had turned them away with her selfish actions.

And now she was reaching, grasping for them as she drowned in herself, tears and a cold blur of sadness and anger, gasping for forgiveness. The white scarf dangled teasingly, just beyond her reach, as did a familiar blue-gloved hand. The hand reached out to her own and held on, before tearing it away and letting her fall into the darkness.

END OF CHAPTER 19!!

Review please!! Extra long chappie for you!

Penguin Pop


	20. Cut

Aww thanks for so many positive reviews! Almost 300!! I feel all warm inside. :) Each review means so much to me!!

Well, I'm having some issues deciding on the whole voting thing. They're pretty close, though as for number, KH is in the lead. However, there were more different reviewers for TH, as some people voted like 20 times for KH. And, as far as reasons go, the voters for TH took that. So... I'm not sure. It's so hard!! In general, I love KH, but with the way this story is going... That's right, honestly I don't know where it is going; they control it! I'm just the author :D

:'( Beyblade time switched... now it's only Saturday as opposed to every afternoon, and it's early in the morning when I'm sleeping! Okay, 8:30 isn't THAT early but still... Highly inconvenient... sigh... oh well, at least it was replaced with a good show! Go Teen Titans!

Anyway, on with the fic! See disclaimer from prev. chappies.

-----

Twisted Fate

Chapter 20: Cut

Tyson sat on a small wooden bridge, his back to the confinement they had been living in for a while now. He slowly traced the wood patterns with his finger, listening to the babbling stream beneath him. A slight breeze rustled through the grass and swept towards him in a soothing manner, however he was anything but peaceful.

The whisper of a wind blew through his bangs, briefly revealing the dark eyes he kept on the creek below. He rested his chin upon his knees, his legs tucked in. "Why is this so hard?" he wondered aloud. He clenched his fists angrily. "Why do I even care?"

He rocked back and forth subconsciously, lost in thought. His eyes were shut tightly, but gradually relaxed, as did his motions. At some point, he drifted off, into a deep yet troubled sleep.

-----

The sky was clear in the bright afternoon, their lungs filled with the air as they ran. It felt sharp and refreshing, although exhausting. Rei liked to push himself, although sometimes to a dangerous extent. His face was beaded with sweat, his breaths harsh though he tried to conceal it. He was pale from sickness, his teeth gritted as he focused on running. He couldn't stop yet. Just a little more...

"I'm so glad you're feeling better," Max had said several times between mindless chatter. Max was just happy to talk to Rei again. Rei couldn't stop now. He couldn't let Max see just how bad his condition was.

Kai ran, just wanting to be away from _them_. He led them, urging them on faster. He wanted to physically strain himself to get his mind off things. Exhaust himself, to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. He wanted physical pain.

"Come on, Kai, slow down!" Max said, panting slightly. Kai paid no attention, though. Max sighed, then picked up the pace. Rei just barely kept up, finding it difficult to breathe. They kept running until he coughed slightly, going unnoticed by Max but catching the attention of Kai. Rei shook his head vigorously; Max couldn't know that he wasn't better yet.

Kai knew that they had to stop. However, Max shouldn't see how weak Rei really was right now. Kai knew that Max would feel guilty; after all, it was partially Max's fault that Rei had become so sick. Max should leave. Hilary and Tyson might have made up by now... "Okay, that's enough," Kai spoke, coming to a halt. "Max, can you go back and check on Tyson and Hilary?" He masked his emotion, but hands nearly shook as he spoke her name.

"Umm, okay," Max nodded. "Why? Is something up between them?"

"Surely you knew," Kai said as emotionlessly as he could muster.

'They were meant for each other,' Kai remembered Rei quoting Max. "You realise we left to give them some time to sort things out," Kai said, carefully.

"Yeah... I got that impression," Max smiled. "Why were they fighting?"

"Nothing now," Kai said, his voice filled with a strange iciness. Rei glanced up at him, frowning. Rei couldn't stand to hear Kai speak like that. Kai would blame and hurt himself relentlessly.

"Yeah," Max said, laughing slightly. "Just like them. They're funny like that. Always arguing but they so obviously like each other." Rei's hand twitched as he resisted slapping it over Max's mouth.

"Bye Max," he said quickly, realising he was having slight difficulty breathing. Max nodded and left.

As soon as Max disappeared from view, Rei started to cough uncontrollably and collapsed to the ground. "Rei," Kai said, catching his friend. "You shouldn't have done this to yourself."

"I know. But I needed to show him that I wasn't still sick," Rei said hoarsely. "I'll be okay, I'll recover eventually. But if Max slips back into depression... Anyway, it sort of felt good after being stuck in bed for two weeks."

"Sort of," Kai muttered. Rei winced as he started to cough harshly again. It was painful.

'Focus, Rei, focus... just focus on breathing. Inhale...' Rei closed his eyes, trying to breathe again. He shut them tighter with pain and effort. His breaths were sharp and shaky as he coughed in between.

Kai watched helplessly as, once again, Rei had pushed himself too much. He sighed, closing his eyes. Rei had done it yet again. The grass they rested on was fresh and clean; the day was warm. Kai leaned back against a tree, absentmindedly running his bit-less blade across the palm of his hand. He heard Rei's breathing ease as he rested, falling asleep. Crimson blood spilled from a thin but deep slit. Kai smiled slightly. That had felt good.

-----

"Asleep and out for a walk," Max reported back to Kai. Kai glanced up at the boy from his silent state of thought. Kai nodded slightly, acknowledging him. "Wanna practise?" Max asked suddenly, holding out Draciel.

Kai stared blankly for a minute at the blade in his hands. He couldn't refuse... that would lead Max to think there was something wrong. As an answer, he took out his launcher and threaded the ripcord. Max smiled. They left Rei, resting under the trees, to an open area.

"Go Draciel!" Max shouted, pulling his ripcord, as Kai launched his blade silently. An image of the blank bit-chip in his blade flashed in his mind, just as Dranzer flew through the air and ceased to spin.

Max stood dumbfounded; mouth hanging open as Kai picked up his motionless blade. Kai's eyes looked cloudy, his mind in a haze as he took in what had just happened. "Kai...?" Max questioned slowly, but received no reply. His scarf trailed behind him as he quickly left.

"Look, Kai," Max yelled. "I know something's going on. You could at least tell me. I'm you're friend; I'm only here to help..." Max sighed. He felt so left out. He knew they were hiding something from him. "Fine," he muttered, turning his back and walking away.

Kai felt incredibly weak. He hated it all. He hated his life. He clenched the blade until scarlet stained blue.

-----

A tear fell as Dranzer cried shrilly from her glass prison. She was weakened drastically, as she felt the pain and helplessness of her master. He was strong, that was how she came to be so powerful. But now...

Her crystal eyes full of beauty and power glanced at the corrupt system holding her, her master and the others captive. The controller, the evil man... she had watched him die.

He had collapsed, fallen moments ago. His death had been slow and painful... for he had been dying since birth. Twisted and unfortunate events, one after another took place in his life, until right and wrong were blurred. His craving for power and control had taken his life.

The screen, it flashed now. 'No commands set,' it said. Beep, beep, beep. 'Commencing Default: Scenario A, Sector 1 in five. Four. Three. Two. One.'

-----

"No way," was all Tyson could say. He felt cold snow on his face and stood up, shivering. He blinked ice crystals from his lashes and stared at the frigid white emptiness before him. They were back where they had started. But this time... they were alone. Hatred and deceit had scattered them.

Tyson was angry with Hilary for cheating on him. Even if they hadn't officially been a couple. She had led him on, toying with him. He was angry with Kai for disregarding his feelings. Kai had known that Tyson liked Hilary, and that she liked Tyson back. Why did he have to intrude? He was such a jerk.

Hilary hated herself. Plain and simple, she wished she had never been born. She messed their lives up, not just her own. In fact, she had never had one to begin with. Stupid Kai for tempting her. She had liked Tyson... it had been simple. Kai had kissed her, screwing everything up. He had tangled up a sweet, simple relationship.

Max was sad. He was always left out, underestimated. They didn't tell him anything, concealing the truth all the time. Why was he always the one last to know? He had thought they could confide in him, trust him with anything. After all, he was their best friend... right? Max was angry with Tyson for not saying anything despite being his best friend. Hilary, she hadn't said a thing. And Kai, he never told him anything. Kai and Tyson always underestimated him. Well no more.

Kai felt weak. He was angry with himself, sad with what he had become. Weak, pitiful. He felt anger towards no one but himself, though. Why not, it seemed as if the whole world was against him now. The feeling was so strong it was taking over. He was angry he had interfered in a perfect relationship, angry he had become so weak, angry he had proven his grandfather right...

And Rei. He was the only one not shrouded in anger and hatred. Nonetheless, he was alone, and tired. While his friends fought, he was fighting his own battle against a terrible sickness within himself. Could he make it without his friends?

Tyson stumbled through the thick, heavy snow. His pants were soaked to his knees. He trudged through the deep snow with his arms folded, this time glad he had a jacket on. He was freezing, though tried to think warm thoughts. He couldn't find any at the moment. He was too angry and bitter. His mind kept settling on thoughts of his friends, and he kept shaking them off. He didn't want to think of them right now. He wanted to be alone.

-----

A beautiful girl sat by the edge of the water. She traced patterns, watching the liquid ripple and stir at the slightest touch of her finger. She looked at her reflection, seeing a shimmering image of herself, bright green eyes staring back at her.

She thought of him – her sweet, cute Max... No, he hadn't been hers, but she was sure she could have... would have... The thought brought tears to her emerald eyes, and splashed creating ripples which broke her clear image.

She hadn't even gotten to know him that well. Seen him a couple times. Well, talked to him only a couple times. She had followed him, _stalking him_, when she had been on her mission. But the times they had talked, she had felt something... an unspoken bond between them.

He was so sweet and charming, teasing while flirting. She liked to flirt as well. The girl staring back at her in the water was slim, fair and tall. Her cobalt blue hair framed her face, with piercing green eyes to set it all off. But the eyes were sad...

So maybe there wasn't any serious relationship between him. He probably didn't even like her back. It was at most a crush, nothing more. But he had been a friend... even if he hadn't thought so. She led a lonely, isolated life. She wasn't one to have friends. But even as an enemy, he had been kind towards her. And he had taught her the meaning of the word friendship.

And now... he was gone. Another teardrop slid down Mariam's pale face. She clenched her fists, angry at her self-pity. "I wasn't even going to see him ever again, anyways," she reminded herself. After their mission was over, they had returned to the village. "So what do we do now?"

-----

Max couldn't understand why they were back. But he knew he didn't want to be here. He was freezing, and had unpleasant thoughts on his mind. He trekked on, not knowing where he was going or where anyone else was for that matter. What was the point? He shrugged and let his feet take him away.

After a while, he found he wasn't far from a slight hill in the snow. He hurried towards it and realised what it was. Buried under a thick layer of snow lay the remains of the very snow fort they had built together, as a team. He scooped some of the icy crystals up in his hands, feeling his fingertips tingle and become numb as he held it close to him.

"I'm not as stupid as I look... do I look stupid? Because that's how it feels. So maybe I'm not as good looking as Kai, Rei, Hilary or Tyson. Maybe I'm not as smart as Kai, Rei, Kenny or Hilary... but Tyson...? Perhaps not as good at blading as Kai or Tyson, or Rei. Not as athletic as Kai, Rei, or Tyson. Not as charismatic as Tyson, Rei or Hilary. Not as cool as Kai, Rei, Tyson... but I am better at some things. Like-- oh forget it," he said, sighing. "I hate being compared. I just want to be me..."

Suddenly, a thought flickered across his mind. "What was I thinking... Kai, tell me?" He shook his head. "I shouldn't have even asked. I mean, if he doesn't want to talk about it, I should know as a friend not to bother him."

He closed his eyes, reflecting on all the things he could have – should have – said. Rewind, play again. Rewind once more... and record over all his mistakes.

He smiled sadly, knowing it would never happen. What was done was done. "It's for the better, anyways... my mistakes have made me who I am today," he reassured himself. "I wonder how the others are doing," he suddenly wondered.

"Me, I'm freezing. And I have a jacket and long pants. But the others..." he let the snow fall from his hands. "We built this together. We survived this together. We can do this again... together.

He stood up, shaking off the snow that clung to him. He started walking again, but this time he knew what he was looking for. Staring at the blanket of white, he watched for footprints that would unite them again.

-----

Kenny sat in bed, thinking deeply again. He did this a lot. He pondered about death, the afterlife, everything like that. Purpose, existence, life itself... But today was different. This time, he asked himself, what now?

There was no future for him. Sure, career-wise he could do very well. But what about him as a person? There was no point for his existence. Was there? Nope. He had thought before that he was helpful. He served his friends to the extent that they sometimes took advantage of the poor kid. But he loved it. He loved having things to do because it made him feel important. 'The brains behind the world champions', has a nice ring to it, no?

World champions, plural, that's right. Because they, as a team, had won the world championships. They could not have done it without one another. So technically, Kenny figured, Tyson couldn't brag that he was THE world champion. After all, Rei hadn't even fought against Zeo last time, and the year before, Rei had won his battle. Why was it that Tyson always got to have the last battle?

Kai had beaten Tyson HOW many times? He could easily beat him again. In fact, Rei could as well. And Max, even. They all had an equal chance. They were all very evenly matched. Kai was, indubitably, the most skilled. He possessed power, endurance and confidence, and was able to think lightning fast and strategize instantly. However, Rei was extremely sharp as well, and was the fastest of them all. Rei held an extremely tight bond with his bit-beast, and was very driven to push himself past his limits. Max was always ready to try something new, anything to give him an edge in battle. He would often come up with brilliant plans even Kenny wouldn't think of, and win his battles that way. And Tyson, well, he was for sure the most aggressive and offensive player of them. He had a streak of stubbornness, like Rei, but also an apparent ignorance that gave him confidence. Kenny wondered, however, how it was that Tyson was such a phenomenal blader, and could compare with Kai. Kai was more skilled in every aspect...

"I wonder," Kenny thought aloud. "Does it have something to do with emotion?" Kai was always good; he never had off days. In contrast, Tyson's blading abilities were very inconsistent. He would always pull through at the last minute during a final showdown, however he had phases where he was worse at blading than Kenny.

And then, it struck Kenny. Blading had helped the others through tough times. It let emotions out in the form of a battle. It had given them a passion, a different side to them. And now that they were gone... it was time for Kenny to give it a try. He opened up his laptop and started to work.

-----

Hilary shivered in the freezing cold. She had been wandering for hours now. Her short skirt was not nearly enough to keep her warm in this climate. Her legs went numb as she walked through the knee-deep snow. She shielded her eyes as a gust of wind blew a blizzard of snowflakes to her eyes, temporarily blinding her. She kept going out of sheer desperation. The tears on her face had frozen to ice, shining and glistening as solid streams down her cheeks.

She collapsed, weak both emotionally and physically. Her hands were cold and nearly frostbitten. Fresh tears froze upon the already present ice on her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered, lips blue-tinged. "I'm so sorry. I deserve this."

-----

The cold Russian sky was bleak as Tala's icy blue eyes scanned it. He stood for a moment, narrowing his eyes in disbelief, then shook his head. "I didn't believe it," he muttered. He had only recently heard of Kai's death, and even later had accepted it.

He wondered why he hadn't been informed of Kai's death, but knew automatically. Why would he have? He shrugged; it wasn't like it mattered whether he had been told or not. The fact was he was dead.

He shivered slightly, wondering how Kai – KAI, of all people – had been killed. And who would dare... And why...

But none of it mattered, Tala concluded. His face, framed by blazing red hair that contrasted with freezing blue eyes, remained emotionless. He shrugged, and turned his back. "He left us... again," he said under his breath. "Pity. He was strong. He could have been of use."

-----

The assistant knocked on the steel door, worried for his boss. He had become mentally unstable, and was looking quite unwell. The assistant had waited for commands for quite some time, but hadn't been receiving any. His boss had been in that room now for too long...

"Boss?" he said, cautiously knocking. "Hello?" He kept banging on the door, but to no avail. Finally, the man opened the door himself with the force of his bodyweight.

"Doctor—"he froze in his tracks as he saw the dead man. "Boss..." his eyes widened at the sight, his stomach churned with anxiety. What was he to do?

The man quickly reflected on everything he had done for the man. He had kept the organisation hidden... even if measures were drastic. And he had designed many of the twisted tasks. And he had given the doctor his time, his skills and his devotion. After all, who doesn't want to be a part of world domination? Or at least filthy rich. And pretty soon, he had assured himself that he was indeed the brains behind the scheme. He was more than capable of taking over. And that's what he intended to do.

"I am... the boss," he said with a twisted smile. His voice had changed from moments ago. "I am... Doctor E? Yes... doctor E. I am Doctor E," he said with a laugh. He glanced around the gigantic room. It was cold and dark... perfect. The beasts gave off energy, struggling to be free of their confinements. But that was impossible – he himself had designed them. They were indestructible, even by the Holy beasts.

The light from the beasts captivated him. He was entranced, staring at the glorious figures, pressing his hands against the glass-like containers. He stared at them, thinking of all the power they possessed. The power that was now his. He grinned at the total control he had. He could manipulate the beasts, and do anything he wanted. And he would have fun with the owners of the beasts, just as his old boss who lay on the floor beside him. He started to laugh... laugh like a maniac. By the time he had turned away from the creatures behind glass, the look in his eyes assured he was less than sane.

-----

Kai had been wandering for several hours, seeming like an eternity in this empty frigid land. Barren of life with the exception of a few tree clumps, it seemed even lonelier. His footsteps seemed to go on forever, lost in his mind.

Where was he going? In fact, where were any of them going? Did they want to find each other, or distance themselves further? Either road was a hard, lonely one. The sun reflected off the field of ice that he had come to. His mind was spinning, dizziness increasing. Yet he walked on.

He didn't feel well. Nothing was going right in his life. Everything was spiralling down into the dark abyss he had created. He was cold... in every aspect. His life was falling away.

He tried to convince himself to snap out of it, to go on, just as he had been his entire life. But why? What was the point? He had never had a real life. The Bladebreakers had been it for him. Blading, friends... blading with friends. Learning, discovering, leadership, teamwork... Now that was lost, done with. There was nothing left to do...

He stared at the crimson streak he had created down his hand, then pulled out the blade from his pocket, without even realising what he was doing. He felt the sensation of cold metal as he cut himself, and calmly watched the blood spill, crying his tears for him.

He continued to walk on, though he didn't know why. He clenched his bare fists, feeling cold. He stared at his palm – droplets of blood had turned to ice.

He hated what he had become. Weak, weak, weak. He was cutting himself to ease the pain, though he didn't even realise it as he did it. He hated the blade; it tempted him so. Its sharp, beautiful edges glinting in the light, the thought of cold metal inducing sweet pain, letting crimson escape...

He suddenly collapsed, clutching his head as if to rid it of an evil. _Come on, Kai. You know you want to. You can't resist it. You want to stop the pain..._ "No," he said firmly. "I won't give in..." _But you want to, don't you. Tempting, death is... _

"Stop it!" he shouted. "No..." his voice wavered slightly, afraid. _You have nothing left to live for and you know it. Your own family left you. You weren't good enough. You will never be good enough..._

"No... I wasn't... I'm sorry," he muttered. "Never..." _Your friendships are broken, and it is all your fault. _He closed his eyes firmly as the thought crossed his mind again for the thousandth time. _And she never even loved you. Nobody will ever love you. End it now._

"I..." _Before anyone else gets hurt. You have betrayed them all. Dranzer, you let her go... _"I had to... didn't I?" _The one thing in your life... beyblading... it is gone._

The memory of his blade flying easily from one hit from Max flashed in his mind. _You hated it, as it had destroyed your life. Your past, everything you had held onto. But you loved it, didn't you, Kai. You tried to stop, to escape from it... But you knew you couldn't stop. There was nothing else you could succeed at. You never even could blade well._

"I know..." Failure... utter, complete failure. At everything he'd ever tried to do. Everything in his life seemed to go wrong. He always ended up making things worse with his presence. The relationship he had messed up... his promise to Dranzer that he had broken... the countless sacrifices his friends had made for him with nothing in return... Wyatt's resulting in mental instability... the destruction of the abbey... the misery of his grandfather... his betrayal to every team he had ever been a part of... hell, even his parents hadn't wanted him; or else surely it was he who had caused their death. _End it all now... before you hurt someone else..._

He felt the blade trace a thin line of red against his pale skin before he realised what he was doing subconsciously. He dropped the blade instantly, watching drops of his own blood spill into the snow. "What is wrong with me..."

-----

Tyson could see a faint figure in the distance. He ran towards it, then hesitated. He recognised who it was – he had memorised her picture, lying awake and thinking of her. She lay in the snow, weak and exhausted. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, breathing slowly before running as fast as he could to her.

She stirred at the sound of his rushed footsteps. "K-Kai?" she whispered, face still in the freezing snow.

"No, it's Tyson," he said, not thinking about it too deeply. "Hilary, get up." The girl struggled and, with some assistance, was sitting upright. She opened her eyes, blinking several times adjusting to the blinding white of the snow.

"Hilary, you're frozen. Here," he said, offering her his own jacket. She took it with trembling hands gratefully.

"Tyson, you're... not mad?" she managed to ask, shivering violently. He stared into her ruby eyes, pondering over the question. Finally, he tore his gaze away.

"No, I'm not," he said at last. "I'm not angry. And I actually didn't realise that until just now. I was building everything up inside of me, but I realised how much I actually do... care for you... just now..." his voice trailed off.

"Tyson..." she stared at him with shimmering eyes. "I'm so relieved... I just hope that everything will be okay in the end."

"It will be. It always is," Tyson said, holding her. "Everything will be alright. I promise." He held her in a tight embrace as they sat in the frigid climate. He grasped her hands. "You're hands are frozen," he muttered.

"I know... I can't feel them," she whispered. "Tyson... thank you. Thank you for forgiving me... see these tears?" Tyson reached and touched the solid streams frozen onto her face. "I missed you."

"Me too. You holding up okay?"

"Better than ever," she said softly. He smiled slightly, waiting for her to smile back. She stared at him, blinking, before flashing him a smile that made everything okay again. She held him closely as the two sat together in the fluffy snow. The sun peeked through the cloudy sky, the bright light of forgiveness beaming upon their faces.

-----

The mountains were lonely, more isolated than they had ever seemed before. The White Tigers sat around the piece of paper, contemplating on words, as they had been for days straight.

"Look, Mariah. This is stupid. What the heck are we going to say?" Lee asked. "We can't just say, 'Oh hi, Mr Dickenson. Mariah had a dream about Rei. Bye!' He's only going to think you need serious help."

"He's alive!!" Mariah shouted. "Can't you feel it? In here?" she asked, pointing to Lee's bare chest. Lee, Gary and Kevin stared at her sudden outburst.

Lee bowed his head, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry, Mariah. But as much as I want to... they've been missing for, who knows how long now. I don't think—"

"But he brought me back!" Mariah exclaimed. She pointed to fresh scars on her wrists. "Don't you understand? He—"

"Sacrificed himself," Gary interrupted, to everyone's surprise. The rest of the team just blinked, before Mariah burst into tears. Gary put his large hand on her shoulder as a sign of comfort. Tears spilled down his strong face as well. Kevin grabbed her hand for support, for both her and himself.

Lee had turned away from his teammates. Kevin glanced at him from over his shoulder through teary eyes, to see his friend staring over the edge of the cliff. He appeared to be fine, but when Kevin wiped the salty tears from his eyes he could see the lion wielder's frame shaking with grief.

The unwritten letter was tossed carelessly into the flames. They danced and licked at the delicate stationary until it turned pitch black and crumbled to dust.

-----

Rei shivered furiously, shaking in the vile snowstorm. The storm had risen and settled within the past few hours. He had just barely hung on. He walked slowly, stumbling across the ice. The wind grew and rattled violently, causing Rei to stop walking and collapse in a coughing fit. His throat hurt so much; breathing was difficult. He coughed and shook, his hands trembling. He felt faint; dizziness swept him.

The ice glittered beneath him. It gleamed dangerously, though he didn't notice. When he finally heard the deafening **crack**, it was too late.

The ice split fast as lightning, powerfully breaking beneath him. He took in what was happening all too late. In a split-second, he had fallen through the ice into the frozen depths of saltwater, thoughts flooding through him as he plunged under the surface. His golden eyes shot open with surprise as the coldness hit him, but now, there was no one there to save him. He caught one final glimpse at the light that shone so brightly from above the surface, staring helplessly paralysed by his own weak state. He reached for the faint glow of the surface desperately, but slipped away, down into the dark abyss of icy water.

-----

END of chapter!! Please review!!

Penguin Pop ;)


	21. Disillusion

Thanks to everyone for reviewing! Makes me all happy and warm and fuzzy and tingly inside!

I loved the episode where Kai lost to Brooklyn. It was kinda sad but I loved it so much. And then the scene with Daichi vs. Ming Ming, it was really short but Kai was sitting in a dark alley, all depressed and hurt. He has a cat fetish don't ya think?

Emotional chapter up ahead. T-T

-----

Twisted Fate

Chapter 21: Disillusion

A faint green glow shot up into the sky, the form of a tiger just barely there. A last, desperate cry for help. The weakened beast, reflecting the empty form of a master, roared quietly. Then once again, he roared, with the last of his strength. The glow pulsated and quivered, before dimming.

"Rei!!" A pair of grey eyes met the glow in the sky, recognising it immediately. He instantly started to run towards the symbol of a tiger, not thinking. He ignored the deep red streaks he had inflicted upon himself, and focused on the present issue.

Kai ran through the white blanket of heavy snow with tremendous speed. He clenched his blade furiously as he tore through the snow, digging deeper into the self-inflicted wounds. His cold grey eyes stared pointedly at the fading glow in the sky, as he headed towards it with all his strength. He had no distinguishable thoughts in his head; all was a blur as he raced towards Rei. He could only hear the heavy pounding of his heart as he pushed himself harder than ever before.

The light only seemed to get further away as he ran with immense despair. His blade dug deeper into his skin as he clenched it harder, running with everything he had. He was suddenly aware of the sound of other footsteps. Max, too, had seen the signal.

"Oh my god…" Max whispered, as they approached. The ice was brittle, and they could see cracks in it… through them, the dark frigid water seemed to go on forever. The faint glow of light came from the very core of the shattering.

"No way," Kai whispered hoarsely. Tears fell down Max's face as he cried openly. Kai grasped his friend's shoulder firmly and spoke. "Look. Why would Driger cry out to us like that, Max? Maybe there's still hope. Maybe there's something we can do."

Max looked up at his friend, managing something close enough to a smile. "Thanks," he whispered, grateful for the strangely optimistic point of view from Kai. "But… what?"

"I'm going in." Max opened his mouth to protest, but he spoke with such finality that Max knew he couldn't be stopped. He knew Kai would never forgive himself if he hadn't at least tried. He grabbed his hand before he took off. "Good luck." As he let go, he caught a glance at the deep crimson streaks littering the pale skin of his friend. A shocked, worried look struck his face. "Kai…"

Cloud grey eyes met Max's cerulean eyes that threatened to spill. The look Kai gave him was indistinguishable. He blinked twice before Max pulled him into a sort of hug. "Kai… I have confidence in you. We'll talk about this later… after you find Rei." White tails of a scarf trailed behind him as he took off. He raced across the broken ice, nimbly and swiftly from experience at the Abbey.

The boy leapt across different chunks of ice, over the frozen water his friend lay somewhere beneath. _All this training, all these years of hardship, everything… it all amounts to this_, he told himself. He was focused, concentrating; yet everything was completely instinctive. He acted before he knew what was happening, and soon he was in the midst of shattered ice fragments and a deep frigid lake, where the faint glow of a spirit had risen above.

It was an incredible sight. All cracks and fractures in the ice led to the middle, where he stood. Snow and ice went on forever, as did the grey sky that reflected the mood, as no trees or buildings obscured the view. It was an empty place, one of desolation. The ice glistened above, while the dark liquid beneath threatened dangerously. It seemed to have no bottom, no end.

He took half a moment to brace himself for the total shock of the freezing water, and then took the plunge. His pale skin felt a prickling sensation, as the icy liquid overtook him. It was painful – he felt his blood wanting to freeze, his body wanting to shut down. He knew he wouldn't last long down here.

He opened his eyes with force, painfully and slowly he did as it stung like anything. It was immensely dark and the sun seemed so far away. _Where are you, Rei,_ he wondered desperately.

He scanned the dark waters frantically, barely able to see as the coldness stung his eyes. He struggled as he swam through the frozen water, each movement painful. His energy drained rapidly; he could barely keep conscious after a minute or so. His heart raced with panic and fear, something the calm teen rarely felt. '_Don't give up…'_

He struggled to keep his eyes open. He tore through the water; his muscles felt shredded and torn with each agonising movement. He could barely move, he could barely see, he could barely keep alive. _'Keep going… you're so close…'_

He felt dizzy and nauseous. He was about to pass out. He had been down here for too long… he was out of air. He needed oxygen. Fast. But he needed to find Rei… _'Help…'_

A faint shadow caught his attention. His eyes darted open and he raced towards the figure with every ounce of remaining strength. But it was too far… His vision and consciousness was going. He caught glimpses of his friend as his mind blacked out. "Rei…" he cried out, as he saw the last of his air escaping. He grasped for his friend and caught his friend's cold, freezing wrist.

He was slipping away… he was losing grip. He could feel Rei's fingertips, but his senses were fading… Everything was fading…

He let go, as he lost the battle to the frigid depths.

-----

"_I can't believe Rei's gone…" Tears slid down her perfect, pale face. "I miss him so much…"_

"_We all do," Tyson said as he wrapped his arm around her. "But it's not as if we could have done anything."_

"_I just can't believe this is real," Max's voice came. They were all in tears, Hilary in a state of hysteria. "Rei… he didn't deserve this."_

"_No… NO!" Tyson shouted. He collapsed to the ground as his shoulders heaved. His fists pounded the solid ice Rei lay beneath._

_She buried her gorgeous face in him. "Ssh, Tyson… we don't want to wake Kai," she whispered. _

_Too late. It took a few moments for my head to clear as these voices came from the people I knew. I suddenly felt completely nauseous. My stomach wrenched with pain and guilt and sorrow… I felt tears in my eyes that threatened to fall._

_How could this happen? How could I have let this happen? I had seen him… I had felt his clothing… I had been so close. It's all still a blur…_

_It's cold. I am frozen inside out. I shut my eyes, wishing this would all go away. Now… This can't be real. This isn't real… _

_It's all my fault. I wasn't good enough. I couldn't do this. I couldn't stop it… and now… he's dead. My friend… one of the only people in this cold world I could ever trust. And now… he's gone. And it's my fault._

_Two sole tears… they fall from my eyes and trickle down my face, painting it with salt-water that will stain. These tears are equivalent to two thousand tears I have kept inside. All the emotions I have hid behind my wall… escape. _

_Even when grandfather hurt me. Physically and emotionally… when he beat me. Or when he didn't beat me, because a worthless thing like me didn't deserve his time. Never._

_But now… they watch me with their cold eyes, realising I am awake. They can't look at me… the one who failed. I was so close, but I failed. I am sitting, buried in my arms. I hate myself…_

_And I see her, as I glance up. But she doesn't look back. She puts her slender hands on his face… and she kisses him, and he kisses back. They are happy, despite the tears on their faces… like I will never be._

_I let them down, and this will never blow over. This isn't just a game. I am weak… defeated… what's left for me now? Nothing to live for. The metal of my blade glints menacingly, as I suddenly realise I have taken it out. I am so weak…_

_Nobody would miss me. I have no family. Grandfather does not count… and if he did, he wouldn't care one bit. Actually, he would be quite pleased. My friends? Don't really have any. Anymore… they'll never forgive me. How could they? I cannot forgive myself…_

_She tries to smile as she squeezes his hand; he grins back half-heartedly. That's why I loved her… she was always there when you needed her the most. Always supportive and kind… But I was foolish to think she could love me back. There is nothing beneath my empty exterior. Nothing to love… nothing to care about. I am so worthless. I shut my eyes tightly and wish this was not real._

_Perhaps it was pity. Was that the friendship she showed me? I thought it might be more, but I am deceived easily when it comes to relationships. Hell, I thought my grandfather loved me. I try my best, but my best isn't good enough._

_Tyson will never. Ever. Forgive me for what I have allowed to happen. Nor will I forgive myself. I cannot compete with him… he is my superior in every way. He has beyblading… and he has Hilary. He is charismatic and friends with everyone. He is everything I am not._

_And Max, I never did show him the respect he deserved. Arrogant and cold, I am, and he was hurt. I've hurt everyone enough. I need to end this…_

_Rei… I'm so sorry… I let you down. I lived… somehow… and you are gone… This is not fair. I deserved to die… Not you. I -- I can't focus. I'm losing it… _

_My head hurts so much… My world is black. I'm so lost…_

----

Kai felt like he had been run over by a million trucks and then some. His eyes slowly opened, exhausted. Everything was an intense blur and dizzying, and he quickly shut them. He tried to speak, straining his throat, but started to cough and choke instead.

"Kai!" Hilary cried, running over to where he lay on the ground. "Oh, Kai…" She held his limp form tightly. She gently caressed his painted face as his breathing settled, the blue slashes fading. She held his wrists that still bled openly. "Why…"

He opened his eyes slightly, to see her face, plus Tyson's and Max's from the side. "How are you doing?" Tyson asked. "You okay? We were really worried--"

His weak form shook uncontrollably as he turned away. He looked more helpless than he had ever before. Max stared, wide-eyed, gaping. Hilary's eyes started watering as she held his shivering figure, absentmindedly stroking him in a comforting manner. Tyson's eyes narrowed. "Kai…"

"I'm sorry…" Kai barely whispered.

"Kai… Rei's fine," Tyson said with an encouraging smile.

Kai opened his eyes, blinking. "--How…?"

"I have a theory," Max said, a witness of the miracle. "See, when you went down there, well, you were strong. You didn't care about the risks, and were ready to do anything, even if it meant risking your own life. You were being _Kai_."

"Which you did," Hilary interrupted. "I can't BELIEVE—"

"Shut up for a sec, Hil," Tyson said with a smirk. "Continue, Max."

"So I was waiting, worried sick. It had been pretty long… next thing I knew there was a faint green glow that grew under my feet - I saw it through the ice. My guess is Driger sort of leeched some of that incredible strength and purity of heart of yours," Max said, smiling. "Probably when, I guess Rei in his subconscious or whatever, _knew_ you were there. Did you reach him? Touch him? Well anyway, the slightest bit of life strengthened Driger, allowing him to save the both of you."

"So, you saved Rei by reaching him in time and strengthening Driger," Hilary beamed. "But Kai…" her smile faded. "Why did this happen?" she asked, tenderly holding his wrists. "I don't understand."

His eyes were filled with a mysterious haze, though hurt and sorrow were showing underneath. "Neither do I," he whispered. He shivered as he felt frozen inside and out.

"You need rest," Hilary said softly. Her voice was so unlike the one they had grown to know – comforting and warm as opposed to shrill and screechy. "But you know… we're proud of you. We're always going to be here for you. And… I care for you too," she said in barely a whisper. She kissed his pale forehead as his body fell limp.

-----

"_Rei… Rei, are you there?"_

_He reached out into the darkness, feeling nothing but cold empty darkness around him. He was in a helpless state, lost and weak. "Rei…"_

_Beep. Beep. Beep. The heart monitor fluctuated. The boy lay in the bright white sheets, limply, covered in tubes and needles. His pale skin was covered in sweat as the boy trembled with pain and exhaustion. "Rei?"_

_The figure didn't stir. "Rei— wake up…" The only sound was that of sharp, ragged breaths and the monitor. Silence was deafening._

_Tears fell like perpetual rain of the forever grey, stinging like salt in wounds that will never heal. Waiting for eternity to see those amber eyes once more. The dark nature consuming within._

"_Rei…"_

_The sound of a flat heart monitor resounded in the air, never ceasing. Drown painfully in teardrops; forever hear the single note of the dead. Brilliant flash of gold swallowed by black and leaking crimson. "Rei."_

"_Rei… Rei?" His hand was outstretched, grasping nothingness, clinging to it. The emptiness was all that was left inside._

-----

He sat up, sweat beading his face. The uncomfortable feeling of illness, a mixture of unbearable hot and cold with nothing between, was dawning upon him. He felt numb; they were still in the snow, in a feeble shelter Hilary, Tyson and Max must have built.

Max lay fast asleep, likely exhausted with the events. His pale skin was positively blue. Kai's own must have been a similar shade had he bothered to look. Tyson sat, looking down at the snow, eyes closed. Hilary was in nearly the exact same position.

Kai's eyes, however, immediately darted to rest upon Rei. He felt breath come as he saw Rei alive. However, he was nearly dead. His form rested unconscious and was barely breathing.

A weight seemed lifted upon Kai. He felt better… mentally, he realised that, although he had no family, these people he was surrounded with right now were better than any ever was. These people cared about him, and he did likewise them. He would always have someone to catch him if he fell, and reassure him when things were bad. These were his friends… and now, it was okay. Everything was okay.

It had always been fine. It had been okay to betray them, okay to leave them. It had been okay to cry… Some drift apart, and people change… but the glue of hardship would cement their friendship together despite differences and distance.

He looked down at the slashes that littered his wrists. They had assured him that everything was fine. They smiled and encouraged, and reminded him of his importance and life. They had forgiven him. It was time to forgive himself…

-----

_I know I haven't much to offer, sir, but I plead you let us go. I know you're listening… what use would there be to our death? There must be a heart underneath all of this. I promise I will give you anything… anything I can. He's almost dead! Don't let him die. You know he won't be of any value dead… _Her voice echoed blankly in her mind. What was the use?

"Hilary," Tyson murmured. He twirled her hair as tears shone in her eyes. She tore her gaze away from the snowy ground and looked into his deep chestnut orbs. Night had fallen, and a misty dark sky lay above them. Her spirits lifted as she felt her heart skip a beat. He put his hand gently on her cheek, gently stroking her face and wiping the tears.

"Tyson," she said softly. The silence was calm and soothing. The only sound she could hear was that of her heart's pounding and the sound of her breathing which seemed too loud for the atmosphere.

"You know what?" he whispered. She leaned closer. He caressed her hair tenderly.

"What," she asked, closing her eyes and waiting. A slight smile was visible in the dim light.

There was a slight pause. "Your hair is greasy."

"Argh!" She stood up, smacking him several times on the head as he rolled in the snow, laughing. "You immature, moronic little —"

"Sorry, sorry," he winced, gasping for breath with laughter. "I— …Kai?"

Kai sat against the wall of the shelter, indubitably awake. A smirk was on his face. "Yeah."

Hilary blushed a crimson red. "Ty-SON," she whined. She turned to Kai. "Is it really that greasy?"

"On a scale of one to ten… _yes_," Tyson laughed. Hilary glared at him in a very ugly manner, making him cringe with fear. She turned back to Kai, absentmindedly trying to de-grubbify her hair.

He shrugged indifferently. "If it's any consolation, it's nothing compared to Boris," he muttered with a slight smirk.

Hilary sighed exasperatedly, crossing her arms and facing the wall. Tyson laughed silently behind her.

_Please… I want to wash my hair now, and I want to paint my nails and go shopping… Just out of here! At least give us food, and out of the cold… please… we can't take anymore. I surrender… I give up. I'll do anything…_

----

"Sir, might I suggest we respond? The girl does offer a lot," the man pointed out. "She holds the key to two of their hearts. They will do anything for her."

The scientist's eyes glittered with malice in the cloak of shadow. "And what do you propose they do for her?"

"Well, uh…" the henchman wiped his glasses on his white lab coat. "I mean, they have served your purpose, yes? Is it not fair to let them go now?" The man in shadow just laughed. His laugh was merciless and cruel. "I… understand, sir," the henchman said nervously, taking the laugh as a 'no'.

"Most obviously, you do not understand. It is… an art, really," he said with a twisted smile. "The art of torment and torture. It takes much skill and years of… practise…"

"But sir, might I interrupt, you have only filled this position for less than a day now? Perhaps you are over-ambitious…"

"Leave!" he barked. The man scuttled to the door in a scurry. "Fine, let them out of the cold. Bring them somewhere new. Let me toy with their already unstable minds."

_Less unstable than yours may be, _the henchman shivered inwardly. Was this right? He was having doubts. Sure, he was now pulling in a hefty income. But they were only children… and this man seemed deranged. Maybe more so than the previous. He shook the feeling off quickly.

"Yes sir," the man said attentively, with a smile. The scientist watched from his seat, never taking his eyes off the numerous screens that surveyed everything from their health to their dreams. Controls to some of the most advanced technology in the world lay at his fingertips.

-----

Hilary awoke to the sound of birds chirping. "Birds… there aren't any birds here," she mumbled to herself. She opened her eyes, and found they were indeed out of the frigid scene of white.

It seemed a pleasant area. Not home, but similar. It was a very small city. Springtime shone and wove through every intricate piece to the scene, making the colours positively sing with life. It was absolutely gorgeous, especially after seeing nothing but white. "Where… are we?"

A letter lay by her side, glowing with an unnatural aura, tempting her. She opened it with an uneasy feeling. There was both a note and a wallet. The wallet contained several vouchers and tickets, including a hotel key. She then turned to the note.

_Out of the cold, _the note read,_ with luxuries beyond your wildest dreams. But you knew it was coming, the time where you must choose between the two. Fire and wind… which one will you break? You possess the power to shatter both into a million pieces. And you will, dear girl. For you have a meretwo daysto make this important decision. One will be gravely wounded; the other will live with guilt. He who is not yours will be inflicted with your touch of poison – if you so much as touch him, he will be physically hurt. He can never love you. You will have a kiss of venom. Your chosen one, he will be plagued not by you, but by his feelings of guilt. They will haunt him – he has it all, the other left with nothing. Who will you choose, 'fair' maiden? Who will be hurt, who will be remorseful? It is in your wanted hands. Decide within two days, and use these vouchers to aid you. If you fail to choose, both will be doomed to your kiss of venom. Time is wasting…_

"Okay then…" she sighed. "I can do this."

"Hilary!" Tyson shouted, running to greet her. "Hey there you are!"

She nodded. "Where are the others?"

"Back there," he pointed. "We called an ambulance for Rei. Or rather, people on the street did when they saw him."

"Good," she said.

"But the strange thing is, none of them know who the Bladebreakers are. None of them have even _heard_ of us. None of them knew we were missing! None of them had seen that infamous picture shown to Rei, implying we were all _dead_!!"

"Oh… well, I mean not to say you're cocky or anything, but you are only a _beyblader_. And we're just kids! And we're not back home. So…"

"Just a beyblader? _Hilary_…"

"I didn't mean—"

"Whatever. Whatcha got there?" he asked, poking at the wallet.

"Oh! Um… pretty much they're vouchers and passes! We get a break! A whole two days, staying here. Isn't it great?"

"Er… yeah… but isn't there some sort of catch?" he asked suspiciously.

"No! None at all! Can you believe it?" Hilary grinned. "It said so with a note. Look, we _have_ been through a whole lot of crap. So I guess he's finally figured we deserve a break! Just two days, mind you. But that's plenty of time."

"Awesome!" Tyson said with a genuine smile. "Let's round up Kai and Max—"

"Tyson… do you want to spend the day alone?" Hilary offered.

Tyson looked her in the eyes. "I would love to." He grabbed her by the hand, and together they headed down the street.

"So what do you want to do first?" Hilary asked, after they had found out Kai and Max were staying with Rei in the hospital.

"Er… breakfast would be lovely," Tyson grinned. His stomach rumbled. "Eheh…"

"Yeah," Hil smiled back. "I'm _famished_." Together, they entered the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.

-----

Max sat patiently in the waiting room with Kai. Kai was asleep. Again. The receptionist had offered him some food – they looked half-starved - and Max readily accepted the tray. He had gently shaken Kai awake and offered him some, but Kai hadn't wanted any. Max had given him a concerned glance, but shrugged and ate the other portion.

Hospital food wasn't that bad, Max thought to himself. Well, in comparison to what they had been eating. Which was barely anything. He longed for a home-cooked meal… decent, real food. He felt home sick. He longed for his family… but in honesty, his friends were here with him. He was used to traveling and being without them. That was part of being a famous blader.

He knew that Kai, Tyson and Rei might even be enjoying this adventure to some degree – it was very scary and stressful, but they were always up for challenges. They loved to push themselves past their limits and rigorously train and build. That's what they were doing to some extent right now – testing friendship and limits. He often worried for his friends, though. They were often too focused and obsessive for their own good. Max glanced at the white doors Rei was somewhere behind and at Kai beside him. Yes, definitely too determined for their own good.

Max sat for a while in meditation, reminiscing and hoping for Rei. "Hey Max," a voice interrupted his thoughts. His bright blue eyes shot open and immediately darted towards Kai who was awake.

"…Sorry."

"Wh—" Max stopped before asking. "Alright." It didn't matter anymore. He stared at the slits upon Kai's forearms.

"It's okay now, Max," he whispered. "Everything's okay."

-----

What a romantic breakfast. Tyson had eaten 15 heaping plates full of breakfast items from sausages to omelettes, shovelling it into his mouth as fast as he could. Hilary, on the other hand, had eaten 3 heaping platefuls of healthy breakfast items, such as fruit, bran muffins and yogurt, and shovelled it into her mouth as fast as she could. Plus a bowl of raisin bran, which Tyson had thoroughly made fun of her for.

They exited the breakfast two hours later; now it was lunchtime.

"That was fun," Tyson grinned. "Didn't you just love it how all those waitresses had the permanent horrified look upon their faces? All that food, and I'm not obese!"

"Yet," Hilary muttered.

"Anymore," Tyson muttered even quieter.

"Hey, you weren't obese!" Hilary laughed. "Just a bit… chubby," she grinned. Tyson glared. "And the perma-frown on those workers was not good. I found it humiliating and embarrassing."

"Whatever. Want to hit the amusement park?" Hilary looked at him sceptically – this was a small city! But, sure enough, there was an amusement park smack-dab in the centre.

"Okay then," she said, smiling. "Let's go."

The two used the ever-so-convenient tickets from the wallet to get in. It was rather small, but not bad for getting in free. As soon as they were in, Tyson grabbed Hilary by the wrist and ran towards the biggest roller coaster in the park. "No way!" she shouted. "Let's go on the ferris wheel instead," she suggested. Tyson sweat-dropped.

"Hil, you don't come to an amusement park to be bored," he mumbled. "Or maybe… alright, ferris wheel it is." He dragged her towards the wheel-shaped monstrosity.

"Thank you," she muttered exasperatedly. The lines were quite short, and they were strapped in to their seats inside small spherical containment units in no time. "Uh… Tyson? Why do we need _straps_?" Tyson just grinned behind several buckles and restraining devices. "Tyson…!"

The ride started slowly. It got faster and faster, and suddenly they flipped upside down. The innocent-seeming enclosures spun upside-down, rotating and spinning violently. They went around the wheel-shaped path several times in their whirring orange sphere. Screams were common in the park, but Hilary's shrieks were clearly heard amongst them. The lift operator inched towards the controls, pondering stopping the ride to stop her shrill, ear-splitting screeches. Tyson winced at her frequent screaming as she clung tightly to his wrist, cutting off his circulation.

Finally, the ride came to an end. As it slowed down, Hilary took deep, calming breaths (or more like panicky gasps) before starting to shout at Tyson. When they were off the ride, she was still shouting at him. He sweat-dropped as everyone stared at them. "I can't believe you! That was the most horrible experience in my entire life—"

"Okay, okay!" Tyson rolled his eyes. "Let me make it up to you for the most horrible experience of your life, which obviously must have been very horrible to be worse than, say, Rei—"

"No! I didn't mean… ugh, you know. Just—"

"I know you didn't. I understand it was unpleasant for you… despite it being one of the best in mine," he grinned. "It involved fun, adrenaline and being in a tiny orange sphere with you. Now how could anything be bad when you're in an orange sphere? Especially with someone as pretty as you," Tyson smiled. He held up his wrist, which still had white grip-marks imprinted on it. "Strong."

Hilary blushed. He was doing it again – the flirting thing. "Oh be quiet," she mumbled, smiling. "Ice cream?"

"You bet," Tyson laughed. That laugh was infectious, as was his smile. "I call the chocolate half!" Hilary blushed again. He wanted to share one? Her heart jumped.

"Okay, I'll be right back!" She was vaguely aware of her voice sounding high-pitched and fluttery. Tyson stood, completely calm and collected. She wished she was that composed. She hastily got a large ice cream cone, and brought it back to where he stood.

"Wicked. I love ice cream," he grinned.

"I second that," Hilary said. "So, how is it that you consume ice cream? You don't just lick it. But you don't chew, or bite, or drink…"

"Make out," Tyson grinned. "Like this!" He grabbed the cone, and began to make out with the ice cream.

Hilary laughed, commenting on how silly and/or idiotic he seemed, but it sent tingles down her spine. She found herself somewhat envying the ice cream.

-----

Kenny stared at the screen. "Soon, you'll be in here," he had said.

He had come up with a brilliant idea one day, after much pondering on how to improve his blade. 'A bit-beast', he had thought to himself. So he came up with several theories on how to transfer her to his beyblade safely.

He eventually found the perfect plan with that ultra-scientific calculating brain of his under that mop of brown, and had pulled an all-nighter executing his plan. Finally, at 6:00 in the morning, after 13 hours of working, he plugged in the device that connected the bit with the laptop. He typed away, fingers trembling with excitement. And now, he read the screen.

**ERROR**.

A loud _thump_ was heard from downstairs, and his mother came running. He had fainted and fallen backwards. "Kenny? KENNY?!"

He stirred, then jumped to his feet. He shouted something so high-pitched and fast his own mother couldn't tell what he was saying. He dashed to the keyboard and typed for 5 minutes straight, before letting out a distraught cry of anguish. "NOOOOO!!!!"

He collapsed to his knees. "No, no, no!! I can't BELIEVE this! I-I-I… NO. This isn't right! There is a mistake!! NO…"

"Kenny… dear, are you alright?" his mother asked softly, putting her arms around him. He shook his head, quivering. "I know how much your computer means to you… can we take it in for repair?"

"No," he whispered. "She's gone for good."

"I'm sorry, honey—"

"You don't understand!" he screamed. "First…" he trailed off, not able to finish, but his mother knew what he was talking about. "And now I do this! She's gone FOREVER! And it's ALL MY FAULT! I HATE my LIFE!!!" he shrieked. He struggled free from her strong grip, and ran for the door.

"Kenny, don't you dare—"

"_Goodbye_, mother!" he shouted, and slammed the door. He fled, not knowing where he was going. Tears streamed down his face as he ran. He tore across the street but stopped abruptly in the middle of the road, exhausted with life.

The black truck seemed to come in slow motion. The driver panicked and tried to hit the brakes, but it was too late. It collided with the small boy, sending his body flying. The glasses first flew off, shattering into pieces. His pale face hit the pavement, tears of blood dampening the road. His chalk-white fingers were laptop-free… His green tie was stained.

The crumpled figure lay there, unmoving. Just as his inside had been for a while, he was now officially dead.

-----

They had spent the day at the amusement park, thoroughly enjoying themselves. They had gone on the _other_ ferris wheel as well, this time slightly more relaxed. He had kissed her, and she returned the favour. "I feel like ice cream," she had told him. "Melted ice cream."

Dinner had come and they went to a lovely Italian restaurant. After Tyson had finished his bowl of pasta, Hilary had offered to share her own spaghetti in the hopes of their lips meeting yet again. They hadn't come across opposite ends of the same spaghetti strand, but kissed anyway.

Now night was fallen, and they were heading back to the hospital after a romantic walk in the moonlight. "That was a lot of fun," Tyson smiled.

"I know," Hilary grinned. "I love you, Tyson. Do you love me back?" He responded by kissing her on the lips, holding her under the soft glow of streetlights. She embraced him and kissed him back, before they walked hand-in-hand towards the building Rei was in.

Hilary pulled away and ran into the building eagerly. Max and Kai sat in the lobby, awaiting their arrival. "How is he?" Hilary asked.

"They haven't told us," Max said. "They did say he was still living, though."

"Keep it up, bud," Tyson said, glancing further into the white corridors.

"So how was your day?" Max asked. "Enlighten me. I've been sitting here all day, sometimes talking to him," he pointed to Kai, "but he was asleep for a lot of it. Did you guys have fun?"

"Absolutely," Tyson laughed. "I took Hilary on a 'ferris wheel'…" Hilary glared at him. "It wasn't exactly a gentle ride… let's just say 'pods, spinning, upside-down and FAST'. And then everyone was staring at her because she was so loud yelling at me."

"And then, Tyson started making out with ice cream," Hilary laughed.

"Yeah, I got the chocolate half. And we went on a bunch more rides and played lots of games and I won a ton of them… and I won the pie-eating contest… man it was fun."

"And we went to this quaint Italian restaurant," Hilary smiled. "After all the snacks at the amusement park, and a gigantic buffet breakfast."

"That sounds like a lot of fun," Max said. "But how did you afford all of it??" Hilary flashed the coupons, Max's eyes widening. "Not fair," he muttered under his breath. "We had to sit here all day and eat hospital food while you were out with our coupons?!"

"Er… yes," Tyson laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Maxie, tomorrow I'll show you the amusement park. _And_ the gigantic arcade we passed with games galore. And we can hit the movies after! And do everything else. Not to mention eat!!!"

"Alright," Max smiled, rolling his eyes. "_After_ we get the low-down on Rei." Tyson nodded.

"You two can go have some fun," Tyson said to Kai and Hilary. Hilary smiled.

"Let's head to the hotel," Hilary suggested. She flashed the hotel key.

The hotel seemed fairly substantial in size. It was rather nice – cosy yet classy. Their room was awesome.

"Wow," Tyson muttered, as he looked at the room. There was a main area with a small kitchen, two bathrooms and four bedrooms that branched off from it. Fresh clothes were laid out on the beds…

"This was one of Mr Dickenson's rest stations," Kai had said. "Look." Two of the bedrooms had 2 beds, while the others had one. Clothes indubitably for Max and Tyson lay in the first room, clothes for Kai and Rei were in the second, clothes for Hilary (most obvious) were in the third… and in the fourth…

"Kenny," Max whispered. Kai held up the tie.

"Okay… let's get some shut-eye," Tyson said, yawning. "I'm tired." He headed into his room and flopped down on the bed, the rest following his action.

Kai glanced at the empty bed beside him. "Come on, Rei," he whispered, before falling asleep.

-----

The heart monitor beeped rapidly as the boy slept. His deathly pale face seemed to contort with agony. He mumbled something in his feverish state, beaded with sweat. "It's the fever," one of the doctors said.

"Kenny," was the word the doctors could somewhat make out. His death was replaying in the realm of Rei's dreams.

When the two boys walked in the next day, the doctors told them that Rei was in critical condition right now. "It's unbelievable he's even alive," the doctor repeated from when Max had first tried to explain how Rei had come to be so sick. The doctor smiled. "Your friend's strong."

"We know," Tyson smiled.

"We're unsure of what's wrong with him. From what you've said, there seems to be something else; more to it than we can see. With his determination and will to live, I'm confident that your friend will be fine," the doctor smiled encouragingly.

"Thanks," they said in unison and walked out the hospital doors.

Tyson smiled. The sky seemed brighter than ever before. "Everything will be okay."

-----

END OF CHAPTER

Please review and tell me what you thought about it! It takes no time at all yet can make an author's day. Thank you so much!

.:Penguin Pop:.


	22. Broken Triangle

Thank you for the reviews! Lol Mrs.Sumpter I especially liked yours :P

Note from last chapter I just felt I had to comment on:

Hilary: _Calm_, yes. Too calm? Not exactly. Hilary has already realised that she's made a mistake. It's just not right to have two guys at once. She knew she would have to make the decision anyway. Plus, she has no _time_ to panic.

ooooo

**Twisted Fate**

Chapter 22: Broken Triangle

"How about this one, Kai?" Hilary asked. She twirled around in a short, flirty light yellow skirt. She flashed a pretty smile. Her tight-fitting top revealed her midriff just enough. He couldn't help but stare.

He had agreed to take her to the gigantic mall. This city seemed bizarre to Kai – it was tiny, but had these huge attractions right in the middle of it. But, even if there was some suspicion, it really didn't make any difference. There was nothing he could do.

"It's a bit short," he smirked.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked innocently. She twirled her chocolate brown locks with her fingers playfully. Her scarlet orbs sparkled framed by dark, long lashes.

"Of course not." She laughed, and walked back into the change room. He stood outside, waiting. He traced the cuts that lay beneath his sleeves in his mind. The rain had stopped; the storm had cleared. His grey eyes flickered with a newfound fire.

She pranced out again, this time wearing a slim, silver halter dress. "Well?"

"Yeah."

"'Yeah'? You've said that for most of these outfits," she remarked, her ruby eyes staring into his. "You don't really care, I guess…?"

"It's just that you make them all look spectacular," he said, staring straight back at her. She shivered with delight… she was amazed how he could look at her in the eyes like that. He spoke so calmly and confidently. "Done here?"

"Yep," she grinned, and thrust into his arms a pile of clothes. "Thank you." Expensive, stylish and gorgeous clothes… in a giant, beautiful mall. Her eyes literally glittered with delight. "Kai… you make me feel beautiful," she beamed. "Self-conscious around you… but beautiful."

"I apologise if my intimidating exterior is making you feel slightly self-conscious," he said with a smirk. "Because there's no way you should ever feel that way. You're a pretty girl, Hil, with even more to you."

"Stop it!" Hilary laughed, blushing. His eyes were looking right through her again. "Would you like to catch some lunch now, Kai?"

They paid for the clothes and arranged, with a handy dandy pass, for them to be taken directly to the hotel. They then proceeded towards the food court. Hilary got a milkshake, fries, two slices of pizza and a brownie; she was slightly embarrassed as Kai proceeded to get a salad entrée and water. His calm stare was killing her. It was giving her butterflies in her stomach. "I can explain," she laughed nervously.

"So can I," he stated. "You have a healthy confidence about yourself. With good reason, for sure." They sat down at a table, sitting beside each other.

They started to eat, silence filling the empty food court. "Why don't _you_ eat more?" Hilary blurted out. _Nice going, Hilary._ He shifted slightly with discomfort. His eyes were closed, and she knew she had accidentally struck a nerve. "I mean—"

"I won't lie to you. I don't particularly enjoy it. Well I have more, lately, I suppose. Just… before…" he trailed off in an extremely un-Kai like fashion.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Kai," she said in her soft, comforting voice. He opened his eyes and glanced at her face. Her ruby eyes were full of compassion – this was what he had fallen for in the first place.

"No, it's okay, really," he said, staring down at the table. He couldn't hide anything from _her_. He didn't want to anymore. "I haven't ever told anyone before… but he used to slip poison sometimes into my food," he said just above a whisper. "Just, you know, to test and strengthen me," he added hastily. "Never with bad intention."

_Kai's defending his grandfather? _Hilary narrowed her eyes slightly. "Really? Never?"

"No," he said defensively. "He only did it to see if I could handle it. To make me stronger…" He sighed at her disbelieving face. "That, or when he was angry. He would often take it out on me… Only when he was really angry, though. I deserved it all of those times." She shook her head vigorously. "It was better, though, when he was angry," he said below a whisper. "I actually had some purpose then."

"Kai…!"

"Forget it," he said quickly. _I'm so weak._ "But yeah… only a few times." She glared at him again. Why was he being so defensive? "Okay, it wasn't fun, I'll give you that. It would last for days… I was locked away, those days. He would yell at me for being so weak. I couldn't fight the poison off…" He shook his head. "Disgrace to the family," he mouthed to himself.

"Kai! Don't think like that. I suppose that's enough to turn anyone off of eating, with the thought of poison…" _Poison. Kiss of venom. Decide…_ "I'm so sorry, Kai." Her eyes threatened to spill and leak tears.

"Don't be. I don't need sympathy," he said somewhat harshly. "Forget anything I've said." He stared into her eyes, and his expression softened. "I'm fine," he whispered.

"Okay," she nodded. "I'm glad." _I have to make a decision…_ "Kai… I have a question for you."

"Then I have an answer for you." He had slipped out of his weak and dependent state and was back to his normal self.

"Well… what do you see in me?" she asked, shyly. She was surprised he responded right away.

"I see beneath your exterior everything I'm not. Sensitive to emotions and always trying to help others… Encouraging, reliable, dependable. Happiness… I see everything I wish I could be." He spoke so sincerely and freely.

She pondered a bit, looking into his deep eyes, suddenly aware of his strong hands on her shoulders. Her heart was racing. "I wish you could see yourself the way I see you," she said, glancing at the dark sleeves that concealed deep red gashes.

"You'd become narcissistic though," she laughed. "Because I think I'm so in love with you…"

She stared briefly into those gorgeous eyes before shutting out the rest of the world. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he cradled her waist, and every problem in the world melted and dissolved. Their lips met and locked tightly, embracing their souls as a whole.

The taste lingered in her mouth; his hold was searing hot yet sent her shivering. Passion and emotion flowed, lust overwhelming. It was no use trying to hold back… she had given in, as had he. That uncontrollable craving; it was dangerous and had taken over. Unrequited love and a long held back desire erupted as the two embraced and kissed.

ooooo

Amber eyes opened slowly, and Rei dazedly looked at his surroundings. 'Where am I?' he wondered. 'A hospital… are we home?'

"Not quite," a voice said. It was not the voice he remembered the scientist's to be. "Surprised? Dr D… he's dead. And now _I'm _in control. And don't you worry… I'm not going to be any more sympathetic towards you pathetic fools." Rei already knew this from the instability in his voice – it wavered slightly with a maniacal feel. "Not to worry. Nobody misses you. You've become unknown to the face of the world."

'Kenny…' Rei remembered his dream.

"Is dead," he confirmed with a twisted laugh. "Ironic, isn't it? Funny, really. Twisted fate…"

"Shut up," Rei growled in a whisper. "You ba—"

"Rei!" the doctors cried. "You're awake! How are you feeling?" They snapped him out of a trance-like state and the maniacal voice was indubitably gone.

Rei looked at them weakly. "Where am I?" he whispered. "What is this place?"

The men in white looked at the innocent boy, then looked at each other. "Please, tell me. Don't lie…" Rei whispered. "I want to know. This… isn't real, is it? This city is-"

"An island," one of them finished. "A city in a bubble, sky painted overhead. I can say no more… all I can say is there is no way to escape, Rei." A trace of sympathy showed on his plain, unmemorable face.

"Don't worry yourself," the other doctor said. "You need rest…"

"Are the others okay?" Rei asked in a whisper. "Kai?"

"He's fine," the doctor said. "You should know he was waiting all day here yesterday for results with Max."

"How do you know our names…? And what about Tyson and Hilary?"

"Sleep now," the doctor hushed. "It's miraculous you're still here. You need every bit of energy you have to fight this."

"_It_ is safe," the doctor said in a hushed voice below a whisper. "Under your pillow," he mouthed. His eyes showed a slight urgency. With the remainder of his strength, he lifted his arm to feel under his pillow and felt the familiar cold metal of Driger.

Rei nodded slightly; his eyes were already struggling to stay open. A slight smile formed on his lips, and he drifted off into better dreams.

ooooo

Emotions were soaring as they sat in the cool grass. The sky was clear and a sliver of silver moon was sharp yet had a soft aura. Evening had fallen to night as Kai and Hilary lay in the park together. Glowing moonlight fell upon their features. Their confident personalities shone radiantly, and amour fluttered around, delicate yet powerful.

She lay with her head softly on his chest, fingers intertwined with his. _Mmm… Kai…_ They had spent the day at the mall, and had just come back from an exquisite Japanese restaurant. Hilary smiled sweetly at him as his hands caressed her pale, smooth skin. She yawned – shopping and kissing took a lot out of one. It had been one of the best days a girl could ever dream of: all-expenses-paid-for shopping in the gigantic mega-mall with Kai, shopping bags shipped back to the hotel for free so you can hold hands with Kai, kissing and having Kai confide in you, eating an expensive dinner with Kai, lying in the grass with Kai…

"The night's beautiful, don't you think?" Hilary asked.

"I don't know. I wasn't paying attention. Something even more beautiful has been distracting me…"

"Kai, stop with the cheesy lines."

"You stop giving me excuses to use them." Hilary rolled her eyes, though inside was soaring high. It was so unlike his normal self… as confident and cocky as ever, but more open and less pessimistic. She absentmindedly felt the white material of the scarf around his neck.

"Why do you like scarves?" Hilary asked, trying conversation again.

"Why not? Why do you like skirts?"

"It's weird, you know. Talking to you and you actually are responding," she teased. She had never actually been alone with him for a whole day. She hoped it would happen more often.

"I'm sorry. I'll stop."

Hilary shook her head. "Stop it!" she laughed, referring to his constant teasing and sarcastic manner. He cocked an eyebrow, holding a finger to his lips that remained sealed. "…You can talk, you know."

Silence. She crossed her arms and stared away in (somewhat) mock frustration. She waited for about 5 minutes – the two of them both being rather stubborn. Kai then stood up from the grass. "Where are you going?" Hilary questioned.

Kai sighed inwardly, having to give up his silence. "Hospital, then hotel. You coming?" Hilary nodded; it was time to go.

They walked in silence towards the white building. It wasn't an awkward silence, however. It was calm and serene. They entered through the glass doors, and they were led to Rei's room.

He lay in the white room, pale and sick. His eyebrows furrowed slightly and his eyelids struggled to open at the sound of footsteps. "Hey Rei," Hilary said softly. "It's me and Kai. How are you doing? We're in a city… maybe close to home…"

"It's not," Rei whispered. His eyes finally opened, revealing brilliant golden orbs. "It's an island in a bubble."

Kai nodded, suspicions of falsity confirmed. He stared gravely at his friend, inwardly angry with himself for allowing Rei to get into such a state. However, all things considered, Rei seemed miraculously well. "You know this how," he asked.

"The doctors," he said hoarsely. "Sorry, my voice— hey are you two…" Kai was suddenly aware of Hilary's hand in his own. He winced slightly as Hilary immediately let go.

"No, no," Hilary laughed slightly. "Uh… Kai, do you mind—" But she didn't need to finish her sentence, for his white scarf tails were already flicking her in the face. He knew she wanted to talk privately with Rei, about him no doubt. It didn't matter to him anymore… There was nothing left to hide from them, no reputation to keep.

"So what's the situation," Rei asked in a whisper, partially because Kai could be right outside the door and partially because his throat was extremely sore.

"Well, we were brought into this city-island thing because, well, of my relationships with Tyson and Kai. The scientist guy gave us a ton of coupons and vouchers to spend on certain things. There was a letter… and basically he gave me two days to choose between Kai or Tyson."

"I see… so he's using the mess you've already got yourself in for his own selfish pleasures, which would be watching us in a twisted soap opera type of thing. He's just resurfacing it and helping it along; it was an inevitable decision you would have to make. So how did he make you?"

"He said something to the effect of me never being able to change my mind or whatever. _Kiss of venom_, he called it."

"Man, he's bad at this," Rei smirked. "First, he used a scenario we had already been through. Now, he sends us to a nice place and just ensures you make the decision you would have to make anyway. You really suck at this," he smirked, knowing the scientist was likely watching. Hilary looked slightly quizzical. "The old guy died," he said, explaining. Her eyes widened slightly.

'Okay,' she mouthed. "So yesterday I spent the entire day with Tyson, and today with Kai. I need to decide before the day ends."

"Sure. And have you made a decision?"

Hilary pondered, before looking him straight in the eyes. "Yes, I have," she said seriously. "How have you been!"

"Not bad at all," Rei said with as much of a smile as he could manage. "Had a bad dream, though…" He looked at her in the eyes, and decided against telling her. "No worries; it was only a dream. I wish we could have had a bit longer here; I would assume we're leaving after today is over? I really want an opportunity to just rest and get better." Hilary nodded gravely.

"We should get going, then. Sleep well tonight, Rei. Hope your dreams are better. You're strong; you can fight this. Good night!" She gently planted a gentle kiss out of friendship and concern on his forehead, seeing he was already asleep.

ooooo

(Hilary's POV)

We had gathered in the hotel room, sitting around the couch that was in the middle. They all bore serious expressions, staring expectantly at me. I glanced at the clock. It read 11:48 P.M. I had explained my situation… and now was the time to choose.

I took a deep breath, butterflies rapidly fluttering in my stomach. My heart was racing… I didn't want to do this. Not now…

The 8 turned to a 9 on the clock. 11:49… Time was not on my side. "I…" I was suddenly aware of how loud her voice seemed amongst the silence. I cleared my throat slightly, mustering up courage. They were still staring at me, making me feel incredibly self-conscious. I didn't want to look up, but forced myself to look at him in the eyes. "I choose Kai," I said simply.

Relief flooded through me, and I smiled at him. He stared straight back, smiling back at me. I loved him... he was everything to me. Tyson was fun and immature, more of a brother or something, now that I thought about it. Kai was gorgeous and kind; and quite honestly, I thought he needed my love more than Tyson.

Kai was the type of person I would get along with in the end. Me, being a natural extrovert, would have clashed with Tyson anyway. Kai was nearly perfect. And I could help him…

(Kai's POV)

He had stood up, not looking at Hilary. He, of course, referring to Tyson. I caught a glimpse of his face. It was devastating. He rushed out of the room, tears indubitably forming but not wanting to fall. "Tyson!" she shouted, and ran after him. This wasn't right…

I couldn't just let this happen. The life behind those eyes had deadened. Betrayal was evident, leading to deep hurt and pain. He didn't deserve this. He was more worthy of love than I. What did I have to offer? After all, Tyson had helped show me friendship, therefore was even more deserving of love. Right? Then again, I remembered, I had helped teach him to work hard and consequently beyblade…

I would beat him. I could never be him; he was the type of person I envied. He had everything, and didn't have to try. I worked my entire life… No, I wouldn't think these thoughts of jealousy. I shoved them to the back of my mind. He was one of the most deserving people I know. He was hard working. Dedicated and determined… and, obviously, just had natural talent. He wasn't forced into anything; it came from within.

She should have chosen him. People shouldn't get too close to me. They only end up hurt. I will hurt them. I don't have anything she would want anyways. Beneath the cold exterior lies nothing. Pieces to a puzzle that I can never put together. I would mention how that relates to a childhood story that I don't remember being read to me, although I clearly remember a curious monkey and a puzzle piece, however…

I clued in. She was talking to his back, obviously unaware of my silent presence around the corner. "Tyson… I'm sorry. I had thought you would understand," she pleaded. "It's just… it's just…" It's just what? "Kai _needs_ me," she finished.

_Excuse me?_ "I don't think so," I said rather coldly (minus the rather), causing her to jump and Tyson to turn around.

"Kai…?" Hilary stared at me, confusion in her eyes. Those brilliant ruby orbs looked at me… her face one of shock. I didn't want to do this. But I had to.

"You're sadly mistaken if you think you can do this," I said indifferently, staring straight at her. "Obviously, you've made the wrong decision here." I spoke coldly and harshly, not allowing myself to show any more emotion. Inside, it hurt me to say it. I loved her… but the look in Tyson's eyes as she had spoken his own name…

(Tyson's POV)

"Kai?" I said, staring at him in disbelief. "Are you… serious?" I was shocked and overwhelmed by this sudden act of… kindness? Kindness in a Kai-like fashion. To salvage our friendship… to be even, I suppose, with no hard feelings. He's doing this for _me_?

Hilary stared at him, crushed. I stared with a guilty sense of satisfaction at the look in her eyes. She had been subjected to Kai-ness once again. With any remaining dignity, she turned to me. Any last hopes of hers were about to be shattered. "Sorry, Hil. Not interested," I said coolly.

"Oh… okay," she whispered. "I'll… just be getting to bed," she said, voice choking. She tried a smile, but it wouldn't work, and she ran to her room. How sappy could this situation get? Honestly.

"Kai?" I stared at him, after she had gone. Kai was looking at the carpet beneath. His grey eyes suddenly flickered up, looking me in the eyes, and he smiled. Not a smirk of laughter; not a smirk of evilness; not even a smirk of triumph or 'I'm better than you'. It was one of the rare real smiles one would ever see from him. It was small and still grim, but over-ridden by an inward happiness even one as dense as I could see. Which, might I add, I am less so than when I had first met him. By far. Even he would agree.

"Kai…" I was completely moved, overcome by emotion. One of my best friends in the entire world… stood right here in front of me. I gave him a hug, before I knew what I was doing. Awkward? I don't know. I didn't look at his face. I grinned, though. "You're the best."

"I know."

ooooo

(Normal POV)

Hilary heard a knock at the door. She didn't answer. She lay there, hiding under her blankets and buried in her pillow. The knock grew louder and more constant, but she made no effort to respond. "Come on, Hilary, it's only me."

Max.

He finally pried open the door. "Hilary?" A muffled sound came from under the covers, sounding remotely like 'go away'. "Hilary…"

"Get lost, Max!" she suddenly shouted. "Can't you see I've been through enough already?"

"Whoa, easy there," he said, backing off slightly. "Look. Why don't we go visit Rei and get your mind off things," he offered.

"Go away, will you? Rei doesn't need to be bothered anymore by my petty affairs. I just talked to him before coming back here."

"Uh… okay. Mind sharing with me how he's doing?"

"Uh, yes. You're in my personal space and I want you out! Go ask _Kai_ if you need to know."

"Hilary—"

"Max! Do you not understand? I want to be alone!" With that, she threw the covers aside and stormed out of the room. She started for the door, but was stopped by a familiar set of hands.

"And where do you think you're going, drama queen," his cool voice asked. She spun around and glared at him with full-force ferocity.

"Kai, get your hands OFF of me!" she growled. "I don't want you close to me. I don't want you to touch me. Get away from me!"

"You're taking this too seriously," he said serenely.

"A joke, then, was it? It was all just a game? Of course. My emotions are nothing to you. Fool around, a bit, delude me, use me!"

"Don't be stupid," Tyson intervened, coming forward towards her. "And it's not as if you weren't doing the same to us. You can't say you don't deserve it." He was about to add a joke about her, uh, _moodiness_, but decided against it. Now wasn't the time.

She stared at him, at loss for words. He was right… She had done the exact same, if not worse, to them. She was now on the verge of tears; her anger had melted away. She opened her mouth, gaping, but no words came out. Tyson noted looked like a dying fish.

"Hilary," Kai said softly now. "It wasn't a lie. I loved you." Tears streamed down her face. "But I know that Tyson did too. And I couldn't let it happen. Do you understand?"

She stared at him, then at Tyson (who now bore a serious expression) and nodded once. He gently put his hand to her face to wipe her tears, and she let him. 12:00 A.M., the clock read. A sudden pain shot through Kai's hand and he pulled away, wincing.

He stared deeply into her ruby eyes, trying to block all emotions from flooding past and escaping, but it was difficult. With one last glance, Kai swiftly turned and walked away. If anyone had seen the look in his eyes, which he shadowed with slate hair, they would have seen remorse and sadness, yet a confidence that still burned brightly.

His scarf trailed behind him then came to a halt as his pace slowed. Alone he stood, outside the room, missing her already.

ooooo

END OF CHAPTER 

Yeah, maybe a bit of a sappy romance there. But it had to be done. It seemed the only logical thing to do. Have to feel bad for them.

I'm experimenting with chapter lengths. Obviously shorter chapters are more frequent. I'm finding they're nicer when divided a bit. However, this chapter seemed somewhat of a filler despite it containing an issue of great importance.

Please leave me a review – a couple words is all it takes. Thanks!

Penguin Pop


	23. Pieces

Thanks for the reviews y'all!

I noticed a lot of you seemed kind of confused… don't worry. I'll try and explain in this chapter. Hopefully I'll portray their emotions better this time.

I again apologize for the cheesiness and sappiness.

The end of Twisted Fate approaches… there will be more, I can assure you.

If you're into it, listen to _Sorrow_ by Boxcar Racer. It's suiting.

……….

Twisted Fate Chapter 23: Pieces 

"Sir. Where shall they be sent now?" the henchman asked attentively. The man in the big, black chair said nothing. He chuckled. The chuckle grew to a full out sinister laugh.

"It's amusing, isn't it," the doctor in charge laughed. "I was so sure she would break Tyson's heart. That or she wouldn't decide. But I didn't expect that from Kai!" the man laughed psychotically.

"So… what shall we do with them?" the man asked. His voice was timid and meek, although loyal.

"Amuse me. I don't have the time to create the scenarios myself," he snapped abruptly. "But I did like one of the ones done before… Ha HA, it's like a soap opera. My own, personal soap opera… I'm in control here."

"Yessir," the man answered. His voice sounded as though he was weak trying to be strong. He waited for the now obviously insane man to give him a command.

"I think… oh, just let them stay until you make another," he said lazily. "Hurry, now… we can't afford to miss any of this… Why haven't you made another!" he shouted suddenly.

"We… had to carry through with the orders you had given us before, attempting to extract the powers from the beasts," he stammered slightly.

"I see," the man said, smiling insanely. "And were you successful?"

"Well, sir… it is extremely difficult…"

"So you were not?" he asked dangerously. The man shook his head slightly. "Leave! Now! Get to work!" he roared.

"Yes. Sir. Right away." The man strode swiftly out of the dark room of controls that the psychotic man spent his time in. He didn't like this one bit. But there was nothing he could do… Nothing anyone could do.

………

"Hey, we're still here," Tyson remarked. Hilary nodded. Tyson sighed, looking at the pretty girl that stared ahead with desolation in her eyes. So Kai had given her up… but now Tyson didn't want her either. He had to keep his dignity somehow – he was _not_ a desperate loser. He didn't want Kai's leftovers. She came crawling back after Kai's rejection, but Tyson had given her the cold shoulder.

"Hil?" She turned her gaze to him. "Do you understand why everything happened?" he asked, although Kai had just asked the same question. She looked out of it. Her dull ruby eyes stared at him, somewhat blankly although she nodded. He decided to go over it again with her.

"We both loved you," he stated. "But your indecision made it difficult. It's hard to have a relationship when the one you care for is still in love with someone else. Especially when that someone else is one of your best friends." She was still looking at him, but it was slowly sinking in. "You know this already, Hilary. So when you chose Kai, he couldn't bring himself to accept. Now that I think about it, had you chosen me, I may have done the same. See, you know that Kai cares about us, even though he may not always show it." She nodded in agreement. Tyson inwardly sighed. This was like talking to a dumb kid.

"So, Kai didn't want either of us to be hurt," he said gently. "Kai knew that I would be sad, because I was in love with you."

"But what about me?" she asked, speaking suddenly. Her ruby eyes looked glazed over. "I thought he didn't want to hurt me but he did."

"Hil… Kai thought you would be happy with me. If we were together, he figured, we would both be happy. But…"

"But what?" she asked innocently. She was like a naïve child. "Why can't we be happy now together?" She was living in a fairy tale world.

"Because… because I know that you still love Kai," he said. She shook her head slowly.

"No… Please, Tyson. Give me another chance," she said quietly. He stared at her with disbelief.

"Hilary… I've given you so many chances," he whispered. "I don't think so." Tears welled up in her eyes. He felt guilty. Suddenly, she broke into laughter. Not her normal laugh – it was childish.

"Oh, I see," she giggled. "Come _on_, Tyson!" She grabbed his hands and he recoiled – it stung.

"Ow! Hilary let GO!" he shouted. It was painful. She hadn't chosen him or Kai, so they both would be hurt physically by her touch. He tried to throw her off in desperation, but she clung tight, smiling. "Hilary! What's WRONG with you?" he shouted.

"Tyson, I want to be with you," she said, trance-like.

"God, Hilary, let go," he said in pain. His hands were burning.

"But Tyson…"

"Hilary!" he shouted. She was not in her right state of mind. He was frightened, now. "Max!" he yelled, hoping his friend would come. "Max, where are you!"

Max jumped out of his bed, hearing the racket. He ran to where Hilary and Tyson were standing, seeing Tyson in agony as Hilary held his hands. Her eyes were glossed over, and she was smiling eerily. "Tyson!" he forcefully pried Hilary's hands off of him.

Tyson collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. He stared down at his own hands, wincing. They were completely red, and blisters were immediately forming. Max looked at his hands, then turned to Hilary, a look of disbelief upon his face. "Hilary, what's wrong with you! Look at what you've done!"

She seemed to snap out of it, and her eyes shone with unformed tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"He'll be fine, Hilary," Max said, walking towards the door. "I'm going to see how Kai's doing." The heavy door clicked shut, and Tyson stared at her, fearfully. She was smiling again.

"Hilary…?"

"Tyson! Kiss me," she laughed. "Come on! Kiss me!" Tyson stared at her, eyes wide. He shook his head.

"Hilary, you're going to _kill_ me."

"That's okay," she said with a smile. "You've already killed me."

……….

Max followed the figure of Kai as he walked down the corridor. "Hey Kai," he said, jogging to catch up. Kai looked at him, acknowledging his presence. "Where are you going?"

"Rei," he stated simply.

"Yeah… I figured as much. Visiting hours are over, though, no?"

"I know. Don't care," he said. Max nodded. He would like to see Rei too.

"Hilary's… a bit… off," Max said, as they got to the elevator. Max ran and leapt, grinning as he triumphantly pressed the inverted triangle to go down. Kai raised his eyebrow. "Er… sorry," he laughed. "Just something I used to do a lot with my mom, racing for the button…"

"How is she 'a bit off'?" Kai asked, as they walked past the metal elevator doors.

"Well… Tyson went over the whole thing again with her. She looks completely out of it. When Tyson explained that he didn't love her back… she grabbed his hands and wouldn't let go. It hurt him, with the whole kiss of venom thing… I heard from my room his yelling, and ran and had to pry her from him."

"And you left him alone with her?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow, as they exited the elevator.

"Well, see, after I yelled at her, and showed her what she had done – left nasty blisters on his hands – she snapped out of it. Then she looked really sorry for what she had done, and apologized."

"I see," Kai said. "I didn't expect her to take it so hard," he said quietly.

"I know," Max said. "That meant a lot to Tyson," he said, referring to Kai's giving up of Hilary. "That was kind of you." They walked out the glass doors of the hotel and into the dark city, illuminated by street lights only, as the shops were closed and the people were mostly asleep. Peaceful silence shrouded them, as they walked to the nearby white building.

"The scientist seems to be short on ideas," Max observed. "Weren't we supposed to be somewhere new?"

"I guess," Kai said. "I don't mind."

Max smiled, but looked sad. "I really miss home," he admitted. "We've been gone for so long. Do you too?"

Kai looked Max in the eyes. "No," he replied. "I don't." Max looked at him quizzically. "I don't really have a home… unless you can call that monstrosity of a mansion a 'home'."

"Oh… I'm sorry," Max said. Max felt sad – he was definitely close to his own family, no matter how dysfunctional it was.

Kai looked at the sliver of moon hanging in the sky almost wistfully. "I don't care," he said nonchalantly. He didn't really know what a _real_ family would be like… but tried desperately not to compare it to the Bladebreakers, for he didn't _want_ to care.

"Okay," Max said softly. He didn't want to argue with him. Kai seemed almost content right now, despite everything. Though he was constantly reminded of his harsh past and lack of family, he had lost Dranzer, had cut himself, had nearly died several times, not to mention had just given up Hilary… he seemed okay. Better, even, than before.

Silence embraced them yet again, until they reached the white building. They entered silently, avoiding all staff until reaching their destination. That was a difficult task, considering how many doctors, nurses and receptionists there were in a hospital. Kai led, however, and they made it through the brightly artificially lit halls to Rei's room.

"Rei…" Max whispered. "Rei, are you awake?" A mumble, sounding more like a groan, came from the bed. Rei's eyes opened slowly, fatigue showing in the golden eyes.

"What happened," he asked hoarsely. "She chose?"

"Yeah, and now she's psycho," Max said. "She chose Kai, and then Kai refused because Tyson loved her too. But then Tyson didn't want her, understandably, because she had chosen Kai before him. She was acting really strangely, after that. She held Tyson's hands, and then wouldn't let go."

Rei frowned. "What about this _kiss of venom_—"

"That's the thing," Max said. "His hands were blistered after. I had to pry her off. Her eyes, they looked… sort of glossed over."

"But Tyson's okay," Rei asked.

"He should be," Kai said. "Max said she snapped out of it after seeing what she had done. His hands, though, they would be terribly hurt. I, too, felt it, but only for a brief second… it was rather painful for that second."

"Oh man," Rei said. "I'm worried for Hilary, too… Guys," he said suddenly. "I have to tell you something… a dream I had." Rei's face was deadly serious. "Of course, it was only a dream. I mean, the doctor could be messing with me, or maybe it's the fever, or maybe it was just a dream that felt really real—"

"What is it," Kai interrupted. Rei shut his eyes tightly.

"Kenny… he was hit by a van," Rei whispered. "And the doctor said that it was real…"

"You're delirious," Max said. "That can't be true." His face was mortified.

"Unfortunately, I think it is," Kai said.

Rei shivered. "So do I… I don't want it to be. I really don't. But I think it's very real." Max's eyes watered, though Kai remained eerily calm. Not too long ago, they would have been laughing at him, however with the recent series of events…

Max stared at Kai – he wasn't showing anything. No sign of loss or mourning; nothing. It was infuriating.

"Kai, how can you remain so calm at a time like this?" Max demanded. Kai just stared at him. "Well? Your friend just _died_. Are you too arrogant to show the slightest emotion? Too proud to show you _cared_ about someone even after they're dead? Too cold-hearted to give even a thought?"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "What do you want me to do," he demanded. "Cry? It won't solve anything. Unfortunately, especially for someone who cries as much as you," he said harshly.

"Better than indifference," Max said hotly. "You don't care about anyone, do you. I bet you didn't care your own _parents _were dead," he said, shooting his mouth off.

The look in Kai's face momentarily told Max he had gone too far. _Shoot_… Kai stared at him for a while. Rei watched in silence and shock. "I guess you're right," Kai said icily. "Bye, Rei," he said, turning around swiftly.

"Wait Kai!" Rei said. "Where will you be?"

"Probably crying my eyes out," he said heavily with sarcasm, before quickly shutting the door.

Rei glared at Max. "What the hell was that for!" he shouted, straining his voice. "You know better."

"I'm sorry," Max said. He truly hadn't meant for it to go so far. "It was just… infuriating, seeing him so calm like that. I can't… take this…" tears leaked from his cerulean eyes. _Kenny…_

"I know," Rei whispered. "We have to escape."

"But how…?" Rei felt under his pillow for the familiar metal object. He pulled it out, and the centre glowed. "No," Max said firmly. "I won't let you endanger yourself. Besides, Kenny can't help you now," he added with a whisper. "And Mariah seems to have given up on you…"

Rei glared at him. "She—"

"Look, be reasonable. You can't rely on her to get us out of this," he said sensibly.

"I wasn't going to try and contact her," Rei said, annoyed. "I think… I have to make a bargain," he said softly.

……….

_Idiot_, Kai thought to himself. He was such an idiot. Why had he fled like a stupid little child? How had that comment gotten to him so easily? He didn't even _know_ that they were dead. Did he care Kenny had died? Yeah… he had. Many people had died in his short lifetime. But none of them had he been able to call his friend.

_Friend?_ Yes, friend. What was a friend, anyway? Kenny would stick behind him 100, do anything for him (even if it meant staying up all night just fix the blade he had broken)… that was a friend, yes? One who was loyal. But in honesty… there was some amount of respect due in a friendship. Did Kai respect Kenny? Well…

_Yes_. He came to the conclusion as affirmative. Kenny was not the most cool, or the most popular, and definitely not the strongest. But he tried. He was so determined… and that's why he was respected. Kai stared blankly ahead.

He wasn't indifferent… no, he wasn't. It wasn't just the news about Kenny that bothered him.

"You're wrong, Max," he said softly. "You're wrong…" he tried to imagine his parents, but couldn't. As much as he wanted to deny it, it hurt. Hence, the idiotic behaviour he had just displayed. "I _hope_ you're wrong…"

He wanted to care. He wanted everything to be perfect. To be normal, loved, and then free with emotion and spirit. But he couldn't do that… _You're not under his control anymore, though_, he reminded himself. So then what was holding him back, if not Boris or Voltaire?

Fear… 

He was afraid. Of being hurt, and being lost. The more he had buried it, the more it wanted to break free. Fear was inevitable. He was afraid of losing everything… so he tried to break free of anything close. Dreams only ended up shattered, broken into pieces; hope only deluded you and left you further back than before.

_I'll admit it… _"I'm afraid," he whispered. "I am afraid…"

Did he leave her because of this? Because he was afraid? _No_, he told himself. It was for Tyson… wasn't it? Or maybe it was for Hilary's sake. He couldn't let her down. He eventually would, wouldn't he…? _Lost without you…_

The night sky seemed emptier. The stars were more disperse, it appeared. He cradled his arms, standing alone. _Why am I afraid?_ He had just sorted his life out… hadn't he? Yet here he was, weak and pathetic. Just him and the stars, all alone. She was light years away, yet always on his mind...

He was following wherever his feet were leading him, not surprisingly ending up back at the hotel. Surprisingly, though, he found Hilary. She leaned against the door of the room. She didn't seem angry. Nor happy… she just stared at him. It was rather freaky.

"Okay, Hilary. Let me in." She just stared at him, with deadened eyes. "I said, let me in. Game's over."

"I know," she said, unblinking. "I lost." She smiled eerily.

"Hilary…?" She nodded. "Stop it," he said harshly. She glared at him.

"You stop it. You stop pretending. Stop pretending you belong! Go away!" she shouted. She stared at him again. "I'll let you in… if you take me back. Come on, Kai. Will you?" He glared at her. _What are you doing? What's wrong with you? _

He braced himself, then grabbed her bare shoulders, trying to ignore the stinging pain in his palms.

"Listen to me," he said forcefully. He released her as she looked up in shock, mentally cursing as his hands stung badly. She seemed _there_ again. She stared, weakly. Tears were in her eyes again.

"Kai…"

"You can't keep this up. You know why it happened. And it's not going to change. You made a mistake, now deal with it." He could see tears. "And crying is redundant. It won't solve anything."

"Just shut UP!" she shouted. "You don't even _try_ to understand. Or care. You push feelings away as if they were nothing. I cry because I care. You're to weak to even shed a tear."

"I know," he whispered. She stared at him, eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry." She opened the door and disappeared into her own bedroom. He quickly held the door open so he could still get in. The slamming of a door could be heard. Nothing was working out for him.

He entered the cold and empty room. "Tyson?"

"Hey," Tyson's voice came. Kai's brow furrowed as he saw Tyson's arms – burns and bruises were abundant.

"Hilary…?"

"Yeah," he said. "Total nightmare," he said lightly. Kai inspected his wounds, inwardly shivering. "But I don't think she knows she's doing it."

"I hope not," Kai said quietly. "You okay?"

"…Yeah," Tyson said. "I hope that's the way too. Hey, where exactly did you go? Just, out of curiosity…"

"Visited Rei," he said shortly. "Max came too."

"So why are you back? Or Max isn't back with you?" Kai stared at him.

"Tyson… Rei told us. Kenny is dead."

Tyson's eyes widened. Had they not been through all this, he would have laughed out loud. But he believed him. "My gosh… How does he know?"

"A dream…"

Tyson nodded solemnly. He knew Rei's dreams were very real. "I'm glad I still dream about giant walking mashed potato sculptures and red pterodactyls and dinner tables with faces…" He grinned at Kai's expression. "So wait, Max isn't here because…"

"I left early. That's all."

"You're awfully defensive about this…"

Kai glared at him and walked away, into his own bedroom, closing the door.

"Some things will never change," Tyson told himself with an amused smile.

………

'And so… I propose you can have Driger – the remaining key to unlocking sheer power… and we get to go home?'

Laughter rang in his head. _Silly boy… I could just kill you first, then take the beast for my own. Why sacrifice my amusement?_

'Because… you could set up one last challenge. And we'd go through it and if we won… we would get to go home. Otherwise… there will be no point. If you don't give us this chance, we will give up and not even try to fight for life. Do you not think this will be more interesting?'

_You are a born debater. Foolish, but wise._

'And… just to make things more _fun_, why not broadcast it publicly? Why not show the world how we will suffer and make fools of ourselves? And give us one last phone call, maybe.'

_Interesting… but why. What do you benefit from this?_

'Everyone will have… one last chance to see us before we die. And the phone call, I wish to warn them of our arrival. To… get the energy up. You see?'

_I do. And I accept your interesting proposal. Tomorrow, you will be transported and your final task will begin._

'Excellent.'

Rei smiled, opening his eyes and looking at Max. Max stared at him quizzically, wondering what had just happened. "I have a plan, Max… I'll tell you tomorrow. Get some sleep… you'll need it."

Max merely nodded and left the hospital room, cautious to avoid any hospital staff. He walked back to the hotel, trying to clear his mind to reflect that of the night sky.

He stopped in the middle of the road, shrouded in dead silence. The streetlights shone dimly, with a faint orange glow. He felt so alone in the world. What would happen now? _Get some sleep… you'll need it._ Rei's voice echoed in his head.

All he had to do was trust in Rei. Of course he would. There was nothing left to do. "Rei, I hope you can do this. Please… bring this team back together. Fix our shaky and desolate friendship. And get us home… I believe in you."

Rei stared at the empty blade. Its cold metal was not nearly as comforting as it had been moments ago. He glanced at the sliver of night through the curtains before finally closing his eyes. "Goodnight, Driger… I'll see you soon."

……….

END OF CHAPTER

Please please please review! More ACTION coming next chapter, promise!

Penguin Pop!


	24. In the Shadows of Minds

Thank you to my ever so loyal reviewers who have encouraged and helped shape my writing. Hugs and kisses to all!

Okay. I know I've taken forever. I had actually written this chapter a long time ago, but I was really unhappy with the way it turned out. I restarted, before stopping again halfway. I tried several times, in fact, and seemed to get nowhere. So, the best idea I could think of was to start a brand new story. (Teen Titans, "Shards of Distortion"). A new story is totally inspiring, and while writing it I felt it all coming back to me. So, I present my (eighth?) attempt at Chapter 24! May be a bit confusing. More to follow! Promise.

Frostt: It totally inspired me. Every review does. I've been working on this chapter for EVER…

And responding to a question (is writing hard or does it come naturally?): It is hard to actually find time to DO it. It takes me a really long time to write but it does come naturally _most_ of the time. Right now I had to force myself to start. Once I've got the idea it flows. Yeah, and it takes a while because sometimes I just hate the whole idea and have to restart it, especially in the case of this chapter!

NOTE: Slightly more graphic than other chapters, read at own discretion!

**0000000000**

**Twisted Fate**

_Chapter 24: In the Shadows of Minds_

The glorious white tiger lay in its glass prison, the final piece to a forgotten puzzle. The lights of the spirits had ceased to dance, as hopes and dreams were forgotten and lost. Weakness and desolation ruled the eternal night.

The project seemed forgotten, as the madmen had moved onto a different game. Focus had shifted from beast to master. So the spirits were forgotten as well, trapped forever behind glass, as their light diminished with that of their owner. They were now but gleaming trophies, slowly collecting dust and becoming tarnished with weakness.

A man behind thick glasses peered into the madman's lair. "Sir… you aren't actually planning to give them access to the media, are you?" the henchman asked cautiously.

"No," the man chortled. He turned around in his large, black leather chair. "Of course not."

"I see. To give them a false hope, I presume," he said, pushing up his glasses. "And, just to clarify, about the dream sequence being the 'final task'…?"

"Yes; they won't get through it. I've already broken down their defences." A cocky smile sat upon his sick, twisted face. His mind was corrupted, and it showed in his eyes.

The man nodded once, keeping his head down. "But if they do?"

"I suppose they will be free. Well, not exactly _free_, for I would issue a hefty ransom… enough to make us all very, very rich. More than we could ever hope to spend."

The two men had matching smirks, greed filling their eyes and souls. The man pushed up his glasses once more. "Oh, and sir? When shall we commence the final task?"

The man turned his chair to face the vast wall of screens and data. His voice was chilling and rattled in the echo of the empty room. "Initiate final sequence _now_."

**0000000000**

Rei trembled softly in the darkness. In a cold room he sat alone; there was nothing there but him. He suddenly jumped as bright lights flashed on, revealing one of the walls to be made of glass. "What's… going on?"

"Show time, dear boy," the scientist's cold voice laughed. "Your friends are here… waiting for you."

Rei blinked, and saw Tyson, Max, Kai and Hilary, all behind glass. Each was in their own box; concrete dividers separating them. He pounded on the glass, even though he knew it was futile. They looked scared. Even Kai looked slightly afraid. Slightly. Well, no, not really, but seemed just calm, instead of abnormally calm.

"Now, Rei. Here's the fun part. You get to choose each of their fates! There are four lovely choices, and you are to assign one to each of your friends. You with me?"

Rei said nothing. "I'll take that glare as a yes, shall I? Now, flip over the cards and read each. Choose carefully. Oh, and you might want to hurry up. With every thirty seconds, one of your friends will receive a harmless, yet painful, shock."

Rei flipped the cards over, one by one. _Cold temperature_._ Temporary poison._ _Death_. Rei's jaw dropped in horror. "No…" He couldn't do this. How could he choose to kill one of his friends? The final one: _Watches the others suffer by your side_.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of light and a scream. Hilary. She had been shocked. _Okay… have to get this done and fast!_

If he had heard Hilary's scream, could they hear him? He shouted at the top of his frail lungs, coming out as a hoarse shout but didn't care. "Can you hear me? Guys! Answer me! Can you hear me!" They looked confused, but were looking at him. They could see him.

"Hey Rei," Kai's voice came. It was loud and clear. There must be a speaker system in the room. Figures – Rei would have to hear them scream. "Can't hear you, but can you hear me?" Rei nodded vigorously. He had an idea. He would hold the cards up to each of them through the glass, and see how they would handle it. He dashed towards Kai's container, frantically displaying the four cards, gesturing for Kai to choose.

"Sorry, Rei. I can't read Chinese." Rei glanced at the papers, sighing. Yes, they were now in fact in Chinese. This was so frustrating…

Suddenly, another flash of light. This time, Tyson yelled out in pain. Okay, he'd have to figure this out on his own now. Right now. He wouldn't think about the option of death. He'd do it through process of elimination… and then…

'_Okay. Kai is probably most tolerant of pain. He's suffered a lot, though, and deserves a break. But… he would want to take the pain for the others. He would not want to stand by and watch them suffer. Neither would Tyson, in that case. They would both prefer to take it themselves. So either Max or Hilary will watch… _

'_Kai's had exposure to both poison and cold temperature before. He should take one of those, being slightly better adapted than the rest. But although he doesn't mind the cold – it would be a lot more tolerable for him than the others – if he can handle poison just a tiny bit more than the others can, it'll save them one hell of a time._

'_Max will probably handle seeing them die just slightly better than Hilary. I mean, Hilary's already been through a huge deal. Not that Max hasn't. Just… yeah. She'll go hysterical, I'm positive. I think Max will understand better._

'_The cold. I know which one will handle it best of the two left. I'm sure, actually, that she would handle any situation worse than the others. Drama queen. I… I suppose I'll have to give Tyson to the freezing temperature._

'_And that leaves…'_

**0000000000000**

The flames licked the charred edges of the building. The smell of smoke, mixed with the heat and screaming, was nauseating. A boy, no more than fifteen, would wake up to this shattering image around him. His blond hair hung in his pale face as he stirred. Max lay on the floor, gaining consciousness with the harsh realization that it was getting harder and harder to breathe. He forced himself awake, taking in the scene around him. Surrounding him. He was trapped inside the burning building…

He staggered to his feet, straining to listen to the screams over the roar of burning things. His jaw dropped as he recognised the voice.

"…Mom!" He glanced around frantically, trying to catch sight of the blonde woman he cared so deeply for.

He heard the shrill scream again, faintly yet still sharp.

The door. He bolted for it, finding himself in a long, winding corridor. There were more doors down the narrow hall than, well, a hallway with a ton of doors. He groaned. His head felt heavy and was throbbing with pain. The roar of the burning building, the smoke, his mother's screams… This was as close to a hangover as he would ever get. Joy…

First door… locked. As were the next 34 doors he tried. The 35th though… he fumbled with the doorknob in his haste, only to reveal another hallway. "No!" he yelled in frustration. But the screams were getting louder…

Was she trapped? Had the fire gotten her? Was she hurt? Max pushed himself harder than he ever had before. Yes, Kai's training maybe was paying off now. A ghost of a smile made its way to his face as he remembered to back then. He sprinted through the corridors, trying all the doorknobs, with such haste Kai would have been proud.

Door 52 was the right one, and, almost expectedly, Max opened it to find yet another corridor. Max realized the hallways were getting narrower and longer. He felt the sensation of his own sweating, and realized just how hot it was getting.

Suddenly, a large explosion could be heard. The sound of glass shattering was ear splitting, followed by a piercing scream and ragged gasps of breath…

The blond's crystal blue eyes widened in fear, tears threatened to spill and cascade down his deathly pale face. "Mom!"

**0000000000**

Kai woke up to the familiar stone walls of the Abbey. "What?" he said aloud. _No, not here again!_

Great, and chained down too. He struggled, but realized it was useless. A waste of energy. It was the room again… the lab. And a figure, in the background…

"Boris?" he asked, with disbelief. "What the hell's going on here?"

"Oh, Kai… awake, are you? Well then it's time…" he drew out a needle. "You remember this?" he said, as Kai had paled drastically. "Slight modification. It'll make you do whatever I, rather your _grandfather_, wants. It's time, Kai…"

"Time for what," Kai demanded.

"Time to get rid of your emotions and feelings which are holding you back… Time to taste the sweet blood of murder…"

"You sicken me."

"I know," Boris smiled. "It's for the best, Voltaire says. You're on your way to becoming like him…"

"No way. I am _not_ becoming like him."

"But you are… Don't you see, Kai? It's inevitable. It's fate. Besides… he's only doing it for your own good. Once you are rid of your friends, you are rid of the certain pain and sorrows of relationships-"

"Rid of my friends? What do you mean…?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Oh, Kai. I thought you were quicker than that!" Boris touched Kai's face with a gloved hand, lifting his face. "You're going to kill your friends," he smiled.

"Not a chance," Kai glared.

"That's what you think… now your friends are over there, in the cells." Kai glanced over and saw them, crying and pleading. Boris held the large needle. "And now… you will kill them," he said, and injected the venom into his body.

Kai immediately felt his insides freeze and burn at the same time. He could feel the pain surging through him, making its way from the tip of the needle to every inch of his body. He cried out softly; he had tried to restrain himself but couldn't. He knew, even without opening his eyes which were so tightly shut, that Boris was smiling, enjoying his suffering.

He felt his shackles loosen, and a dagger in his hand. And he was walking forwards… He immediately halted, but felt pain surge through his body again. He managed to stay for a few seconds, before stumbling forward again. Each second, the pain got immensely stronger.

Boris kicked him swiftly in the ribs. "Fool, don't try to resist! Go now!"

Kai groaned, collapsing to the ground. He was shaking, trying to resist. The agony was intense. Sweat rolled down his extremely pale face. The poison was winning.

His vision was blurred, but he could distinctly make out another figure. "Gr- grandfather?" he whispered.

"Get up, Kai," he barked. "Get up. Off your knees, boy!" Kai gritted his teeth, slowly rising. He couldn't resist any longer.

He couldn't fight anymore. The poison was trying to control him, and was succeeding. He found himself walking forwards, as hard as he struggled. He could hear his grandfather's voice but it seemed muffled through the noise of pain. "Don't fight… you can't win because you're a pathetic excuse for a human being…"

Kai opened his eyes and gasped. Right in front of him was Max – frightened and crying. He was inches away. Kai struggled harder than ever, fighting the force that was trying to plunge the silver blade into his friend. "No," Kai whispered. "I can't…"

He shut his eyes tightly as his head swam and he couldn't breathe. "Weak…" Voltaire's voice echoed in the darkness of his mind. He couldn't take anymore; they had won.

He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. His entire body was covered in sweat, as he unwillingly trembled. He couldn't tell if tears were in his eyes; they were still shut tight. He couldn't open them. He knew what had happened. He could feel the crimson substance on his hands, and they would never be clean.

"So… weak…"

**0000000000**

Tyson woke to the sad songs of a pipe organ. In a church, or something… A funeral. "Hey… could you tell me who died?" Tyson asked. He got no response. Frowning, he ran to the front of the church, asking the preist. The priest however, completely ignored him, continuing to drone on. "Hello?" Tyson waved in his face. Still, he was ignored. He huffed off, and sat down, trying to listen to the sermon.

"He was a good man… loved by many… he really enjoyed kendo, and did so much for his grandson…" _This isn't telling me anything_, he thought to himself, and ran out of the building. Nobody noticed.

He pressed his face to the glass in a shop that had televisions playing the news. The weather reported faded out, and a woman appeared on the screen."A few days ago, a man was murdered. His murderer was none other than Tyson Granger--"

"WHAT!" he shouted. _Different Tyson Granger?_ Sure enough, though ,they showed his own face on the TV screen. "What is this!"

He ran, only to realize he was running to the dojo. It was out of habit. "Grandpa?" Tyson called, as he approached the gorgeous traditional building. "Grandpa!" Nobody was there.

He heard a voice from the street as two people walked by. "Can you believe it was Tyson Granger?" Tyson strained his ears to hear the voices. "His own grandfather! He KILLED his own grandfather!"

Tyson paled. "No…"

**0000000000**

The cold metal against her bare back was less than comfortable, she realized, as she wakened. It was chilly… she was only in the cropped tank top and short shorts she had been sleeping in. But it was more than that. Something felt wrong…

She opened her ruby eyes softly, and tilted her head up. She glanced to check her wrists and ankles. Restrained, by shackles… She was trapped, bound to a large, vertical board made of metal. She struggled slightly, gaining consciousness and becoming aware of the horrendous situation. Struggling was futile; she was most definitely trapped until whoever had put her in such a state would set her free…

"Hey, Hilary."

"Tyson?" she gasped. "You're here too? Are you okay-"

"Oh, we're better than okay," another voice came. Kai. His voice was colder than the metal against her back. She struggled a bit more, however could do nothing.

"Kai…?" Something was wrong with him. Both of them.

"Sshh… don't say a word, now," Tyson walked into view. An eerie smile was planted upon his face. "Don't speak."

"We want you… to scream."

And she did, seeing what lay in their hands. The knife to make permanent red slivers to match the indelible damage she had done them… the lighter to burn and destroy all that was left of her soul… the rusted nail to cut deep, tear at her insides and stay forever…

"N-no… please…" she stammered, choking on tears. "Don't do this… I'm s-sorry…"

Tyson merely smirked, and began to carve crimson designs in her skin. "I _love_ you, Hilary…" She shook as her arms bled. The drops of blood matched the tears that fell down her face.

Kai touched her pale face. His hands were cold and clammy. She flinched at the touch. "Bye, Hilary," he said, before slitting her throat.

**0000000000**

END OF CHAPTER

Hope you enjoyed… leave me a note, tell me what you thought!

Penguin Pop


	25. Strength of a Soul

I found the reviews really interesting! Thanks a billion! Sorry again for the long waiting periods… I've been busy.

SOMEONE2003: I found that review rather amusing. Haha, I don't actually _flinch_ at my first work (which is this story). I find it great that I've become a much better writer with both practice/experience and lovely reviews. Stress? Absolutely none in the world of writing. It's a stress-reliever, in fact; it helps to escape from real world stress. Though I felt the need to rewrite the chapter several times, it was definitely not stressful.

* * *

**Twisted Fate**

_**Chapter 25:** The Strength of a Soul

* * *

_

"Max…" the pretty blonde woman whispered. Blood was everywhere, mixed with the glass, spilled chemicals and rubble. She lay in her son's arms, dying. Crimson seeped through the fabric her dress and trickled freely down her face from a huge gash in her head.

"Mom!" he screamed. "Mom, no!"

"Darling… can I… ask you something?" she asked faintly between sharp breaths, her blonde hair streaked red as it was fanned out on the floor.

"Anything, mom," he said, his passionate blue eyes holding an intense stare. Her eyes, of an identical colour and vibrancy, slowly closed.

"Did you know?" she whispered.

"Did I know what?" he asked, anxiously.

"Please, Max. Don't give me that," she pleaded. "Did you… know… the doors would lock… that I would die here…" her life was vanishing.

His mouth hung open. "What are you talking about?" he asked, but a vivid flashback abruptly entered his mind.

_City lights lit up the dark sky as two figures walked towards the BBA research centre. "So what exactly do you want to show me, Maxie?" the blonde woman said, staring down at her son._

"_It's a surprise," he said._

"_And it couldn't wait for tomorrow?" she asked, looking at the dark sky. _

"_Mom," he whined. "It's really cool! Besides, if you hadn't worked overtime until past dinner…"_

_The blonde woman smiled at her son. "Sure."_

_Max opened the doors with Judy's key. "So where do we have to go to see your surprise?"_

"_Come on, this way," he said, leading the pretty lady through the building._

"_Okay," he said at last, arriving at their destination. "Now… wait in this room, while I set it up," he said, and pushed her into an adjacent room, then shut the door._

_He began to set up the project he had been working on with Emily and Kenny. They had just finished earlier that day. It was a completely new type of training session – it was part virtual, part real. He entered a few commands into the computer, pressed a few buttons and was ready to let it rip._

_He grabbed the cord and plugged it in, however sparks showered everywhere. That wasn't supposed to happen… He unplugged it, but realized he had triggered something. Before he knew it, the building was catching fire, and things were exploding. Instinctively, he began to run. He could hear the screams of his mother, trapped inside the locked room, but still he ran…_

"Mom, no!" he yelled. "I would never… I didn't mean to…" but realized his words were not heard. Her ragged breathing had stopped altogether. And she'd died thinking Max had killed her.

Reality seemed to die right then and there. His world was collapsing. He felt his soul crumble into dust and leave him.

* * *

"_Put me down!"_ she screamed, but her lips wouldn't move. Her body was limp; she was paralysed. _"Kai!"_ she screamed hoarsely, both frightened and enraged. _"Kai,"_ she said, softer, realizing what he had done. _"What are you doing to me now…?"_

The boy walked ahead, carrying her body. Tyson followed silently. _"Tyson!"_ she shrieked desperately, but realized her screaming was only in her mind. _"I'm sorry!"_ she yelled mentally. _"Please, stop!"_

Her throat hurt, even though her hoarse shrieking was only mental. She was then vaguely aware of the liquid drenching her shirt… blood, from her neck. And she then could feel it dripping down her wrists and arms, all over her body.

"_Where are you taking me?"_ she shouted in her mind, trying in vain to move. She could see tombstones… but surely they weren't going to…

"_I'm not dead!"_ she screeched. _"Put me down!" _She was crying, though no tears fell from her face. Kai laid her body in the coffin as she shrieked in her mind. His eyes stared blankly at her, disassociating her from his life. He then walked away, white scarf trailing.

Tyson's face then came into her view. She would have been shaking, had she not been unable to move. "Later, Hil," he said in a voice not his own. Or at least, not the one she had known. Screaming on the inside, she watched as he closed the lid on her and she no longer could see anything. She could only feel herself falling…

The coffin was falling immensely fast. She could feel it through the slight openings of the hinges. Only after about a minute of falling did she realize that she had no air. "_But I'm not breathing with any difficulty… I'm not breathing at all!_"

Minutes passed, and she was still falling. She would fall for eternity in the darkness…

After ten minutes, she had cleared her head and realized what had happened.

After thirty minutes, she had gone through her entire memory of her life. Her pathetic life filled with false friendships and happiness.

After an hour, she had realized she would be here forever, in the darkness of misery and regret.

After an hour, her spirit had broken.

* * *

Kai shuddered. A boy lay dead at his bloody, tainted hands. He fought back the tears and every emotion that threatened to escape. The boy's blue eyes would never open again. 

"Come on, Kai," his grandfather whispered, dangerously quiet. Kai could feel the poison, pushing him towards his next victim.

Tyson was shouting, yelling, frightened. Yet Kai continued to walk towards him, knife brandished. Tyson was cornered. He couldn't move. He was paralysed with fear.

Kai tried to stop himself. He couldn't. "I'm… sorry…" he whispered, as he approached Tyson. His hands were shaking violently, yet clung to the silver blade. It dripped with the life of his friend.

Tyson's shouting ceased. Kai swore his voice was still echoing in the stony chamber. They saw he was shaking… they saw him collapse, trying to fight the pain… didn't they?

Kai opened his eyes, realizing he was already in front of the next victim. It was Rei. Unlike Max and Tyson, he wasn't pleading or crying or shouting. He stood there, calmly.

"Kai," he said. "Stop…"

"I… can't stop it," Kai whispered. "I'm not strong enough…"

Rei cast him a wary glance. Kai couldn't hold out any longer. The crimson-stained knife plunged.

Kai's eyes seemed devoid of life. He was weak. He had nothing. He succumbed to the poison, killing Hilary and Kenny effortlessly.

His grandfather had won.

Kai had lost.

* * *

Tyson shivered as he hid in the alleyway. It was nearing nightfall now. This would be how he spent the rest of his life – in hiding. He could see the headline of the grungy newspaper he was huddled under read "Beyblade Champion Murders Grandfather". Skimming through the article, he saw he was wanted for murder… the murder of his grandpa. 

He sat there, numb to the world. He had been accused of killing his own grandfather. It hadn't quite hit him yet, however the fact that he would never be able to see any of his friends ever again hovered in the dark silence. Would he ever be able to see _anyone_ ever again?

The text blurred before his eyes, illegible now. How would he survive? How could he eat? Where could he go? He frowned, then read the article over again.

'…Victim stabbed in heart… Evidence leads to Tyson Granger… Witnesses say they saw Granger commit the act…' "Witnesses?" he said out loud. He squinted and pored over the paper once again.

"Oh… no…" he said, mouth open in horror. "No…!"

'_Kai Hiwatari, a witness and friend of Granger, said that from a doorway they "saw him walk over to his grandfather, and before we knew it, he had killed him with a knife. He ran before any of us could confront him." _

'_Hiwatari, along with Max Tate and Rei Kon, saw the incident, and he ran before any of them could stop them. "We were just in total shock," Kon reports. "We hadn't realized what he'd done until he had run away." _

'_Investigators could find no motive for the incident. "He was always very close to his grandfather," Kon said. "Tyson is a kind and caring person, as is his grandfather. We still don't understand why he would do such a thing," the boy told the press. _

'_The five, all members of the Bladebreakers team, were very close to Granger. They had been "the people closest to him in his life, except for his grandfather," Kon said. _

'"_We just hope the police find him soon," Hiwatari told the media._

'_The other witnesses refused to comment.'_

Tyson gritted his teeth. _'Goodbye, sanity.'_ He couldn't have done it… must have been some doppelganger or whatever… but he could picture it in his mind too clearly. He had done it. Now he was left with nothing. He trembled softly, unsure of whether it was the cold or pent up tears.

They'd betrayed him. They told the police what had happened. No…

They hadn't betrayed him. They were just… doing what they thought best. After all, if Max (who had a similar close relationship with his mom) had pulled a knife on his mother and killed her in front of them, wouldn't he be afraid? Would he do the same? Try and find him… and get him some help?

He read the article again. "'Tyson is a kind and caring person… don't understand why he would do such a thing…'" he read. "Maybe… maybe they just want to help." He smiled slightly. So… even if he was psycho. Even if he did somehow kill his grandfather (a thought that would make anyone cringe)… his friends didn't hate him. They weren't against him.

Even at the worst of times, his friends would stick by him. He would always have them. And that was why Tyson would never lose his spirit. He had hope.

* * *

"Rei, what's going on?" Max asked. 

Rei was shivering, though it wasn't cold. "Tyson – freeze. Kai – poison. Hilary – death," he said, in as close to an emotionless voice as he could muster. He was quite aware his voice was shaking.

"Rei, I don't understand…"

"You – watch." As soon as Rei had spoken, he could tell it had started.

"Max? Rei? What's happening?" Kai's voice could be heard.

"Kai!" Max shouted.

"It's no use," Rei said, looking at the ground. "They can't hear us."

"Guys, it's suddenly really cold…" Tyson's voice came.

Max stood up and ran over to where they were contained. He started banging on the glass. "Tyson!" he shouted, paying no heed to what Rei had just said.

Rei could now see Tyson's breath in front of him. "I'm serious… I'm freezing…"

"Rei, why am I trapped in here? Where are we?" Hilary asked. Rei stared at her in horror. It was a matter of time until her fate was played out.

He saw Kai collapse to his knees, sweating and shaking. He watched Tyson shivering violently, trying frantically to warm himself up. He looked at Hilary frantically pushing against the glass, frightened and screaming. He silently observed Max, as he pounded the glass Tyson's prison, shouting and not giving up.

Rei turned away and covered his ears. But then, he discovered he couldn't. He couldn't stop watching, and he couldn't block out the sound… But it was his conscience stopping him, not some psychopath.

Max was right. Even if their fates were inevitable, the least he could do was support them. They were teammates. They were friends.

Rei walked over towards the prisons, and started shouting at the top of his lungs. He knew they couldn't hear him, but at least they knew he was there for them.

He walked over to Hilary's prison. "Hilary! It's okay! Please, don't be afraid! Just… hold on. Be brave," he was shouting. She looked at him, and seemed to calm down a bit. He was suddenly aware of how ridiculous he looked with his wildly exaggerated hand gestures. He smiled at her.

She stopped pounding on the glass; her fear seemed to vanish from her eyes. "Everything's going to be okay, Hil," he said. He tried not to look sad. "It's okay…"

He then ran over to Kai's glass, banging furiously and shouting whatever came into his head. "Come on, Kai! Get up! You can do it! Don't give in!" He looked like a perky cheerleader. He was shouting and jumping and waving his hands.

Kai raised his head from his knees and looked up at him through bleary eyes. He smirked. "C'mon. You're never gonna make it to the national cheerleading squad without any back-flips," he muttered.

Rei grinned, and did so happily. Three in a row. He felt this amazing energy pulsing through him, and was no longer tired.

"Sweet back-flipping, Rei," Tyson said, teeth chattering, catching sight of Rei. Tyson grinned at him, and Rei returned the smile.

Max was laughing, and soon Rei joined in. And at that moment, Rei knew that no matter how bad it got, no matter what would happen, they would be by his side.

There would be no tragic ending. Nor would there be a happy one. No, there would be no ending. Just new beginnings. Life would go on.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER! **

Ooh, leading up to the end. Hopefully I'll finish this fic before we all die of old age…

Penguin Pop


	26. Escape

_I know it's been _ages_, so please forgive me. Thanks so much for all your support. I love you._

_This one was rewritten many, many times. I'm really happy with how it finally turned out, and I hope you like it too. _

* * *

**TWISTED FATE**

**Chapter 26: Escape**

* * *

Tyson woke up, gasping for breath. He'd made it. He found himself in a gloomy environment: dark and cold yet sterile. The walls were made of large rough stone bricks… dungeon-like. But this was no dungeon. Tyson knew it could only be the madman's hideout - he'd encountered enough bad guys to know a mad scientist's lair when he saw it. It was interesting how this had become a very normal part of his life. He was constantly fighting some villain or another. How many teenagers his age could say that? 

Taking a few steps forward, he stepped out of his own small chamber, and turning around realized his friends were contained in their own cells, blockaded with a high-tech barrier, a glowing green in colour. His cell had been the only without one; the others must not have woken from their dreams. Instinctively running over to the nearest cell (Max's), he attempted to break the barrier, resulting only in a painful shock. He should have known, but Tyson was never one to think before acting, especially if his friends were in danger.

He looked behind him and saw a door and headed for it, but heard a noise. Rei's barrier turned from green to blue before vanishing altogether. Rei took a sharp breath, and his amber eyes fluttered open. "Rei!" Tyson shouted, running over.

"Hey! Tyson!" Rei grinned. He leapt to his feet and walked out of the cell, immediately engulfed in a great hug. "Am I ever glad to see you!"

"You have no idea," Tyson smiled back. "And you're looking great! Not all... y'know…"

"Sickly," Rei laughed amicably.

Tyson grinned. "Well…"

Rei's face turned more serious. "So that… thing. Scenario or trial or, well, _nightmare_. I take it you got past it?"

"Yeah… In mine I…" Tyson bit his lip slightly, looking downwards. "I went back home, only to find out that my grandfather had been murdered," he said gravely. "And… I found out that I had killed him."

"That's… terrifying."

"But you know? In the end, it was you guys that really made me pull through. Hope," he said, emphasizing that last word, knowing its impact.

"That's… exactly it. In my scenario or nightmare or whatever you want to call it, I had four different methods of torture… and I had to choose one for each of you. Freezing, poison, death, and standing witness."

Tyson frowned. "How did you choose?"

"I did based on who would be most tolerant for what torture… all of them were terrible, but…"

"Yeah."

"But like you said, Ty. It was you guys that actually helped me to survive."

"Yeah. I-- hey, are those supposed to be red?" Tyson asked suddenly. Looking over, Tyson saw Max's barrier was now a glowing red. Hilary's was a dull red, growing brighter, and Kai's was tinged with the colour, also starting to get brighter.

"They… they must have given up," Tyson realized, eyes widening.

"I… think you're right," Rei said uneasily. "Judging by our own experiences… I don't think they're getting out on their own."

"We need to help them," Tyson said anxiously. "But… how?"

"…The bit-beasts!" Rei exclaimed suddenly. "They'll give them strength!"

"Yeah! Let's go!" Tyson said, and they hurried out the door.

* * *

Tyson and Rei ran up and down the corridors of the underground base, searching each room. 

"Hey… Rei?" Tyson said suddenly, as they searched.

"Yeah, Ty?"

"Have you… ever liked someone, but turns out they're in love with someone else?" he asked.

"Actually… yes," Rei replied, somewhat surprised at the sudden question but at the same time, not surprised at all. "Well I mean I don't know if I was _in love_ with her but… uh… Salima," he admitted. "I liked her, for sure. And I thought she liked me too, but… guess I was wrong," he smiled sadly.

"Kane?"

Rei nodded. "I can't _believe _I waited for her on that bridge the entire night," he laughed.

"Wha- you can't be serious!" Tyson said, taken aback. "You honestly waited…"

"Until practice at 10 AM," he said with a slight smile. "Never showed. It was… a long night," he shrugged, smirking.

"Ugh," Tyson sympathized. "Hey… what about Mariah?"

"Hmm? What about her?"

"It's just, I, uh… I dunno, I always thought the two of you had something going on…" Tyson trailed off, once again regretting opening his big mouth, but Rei didn't seem to mind at all.

"Well… she liked me. And I told her that things just couldn't work between us," he said simply.

"Why not?" Tyson asked, unable to keep his mouth shut.

"I don't really know, to be honest. I just don't like her in that way; I think of her more as a sister." He paused, then continued. "At first I just avoided the whole thing. And when I couldn't anymore, I told her it was because of physical distance, as I'd left the village and the White Tigers. Eventually I told her straight out that I loved her platonically, and she'd always be a very close friend, but that I didn't think we could have a romantic relationship."

"…And? How'd she take it?"

Rei grimaced slightly. "…Not so well."

"Angry?"

"No, she just… refused to accept it, I guess. And I've told her over and over and she just never seems to get it," he said, frowning slightly. "I think it's just, you know, stuck in her mind that we were _meant to be_."

"What do you mean by that?" Tyson asked, asking yet another question.

"The whole, you know, childhood friend thing, where they grow up together and eventually realize that they love one another, they get married and live happily ever after," he said, somewhat distantly. "I guess it's what we've been told all our lives. By, well, everyone. The whole village. It's just sort of… expected that we'll end up together."

"Huh."

"I actually tried to force myself to love her. Just another thing I felt I _had_ to do to be accepted in the village. And, well, eventually I realized it was just something I couldn't bring myself to do. And I left."

"You know," Tyson said, "Umm. This might be kind of a weird thing to say but… well, I've got to know. You've always been able to make sacrifices. Big ones. Like leaving your home and everyone you knew behind, physically pushing yourself past your limits, being able to swallow your pride… Rei, how do you do it?"

"Well, uh… I guess I just choose what's best for me," he shrugged.

Tyson looked confused. "But you aren't selfish…"

"Well… what's good for you does not mean what is least painful. And it doesn't mean you shouldn't take into consideration how your actions will affect others. Their reactions will affect you personally. I'm probably making this sound kind of cold and self-centred. But… well, think of it this way too. When I can make other people feel good, that also makes me feel good."

"Hm, I see," Tyson nodded.

"And, well, you especially, Tyson." Rei grinned, "even if you don't always come across as the most sensitive or considerate guy—"

"Hey!"

"--You really care about how other people feel. I know you well enough to be able to tell that you find true happiness by making other people happy."

"Hmm." Tyson nodded once. "Thank you, Rei."

Tyson had made up his mind.

"Uh… no problem," Rei smiled. "Wait…! What's in _that_ room?"

A faint glow came from the entranceway. Rei and Tyson sprinted towards the room and found behind the glass the majestic beasts, part of their souls.

"Dragoon!" Tyson shouted. "And Driger, Dranzer and Draciel! How are we gonna get them out?"

Rei thought for a moment. "Let's try a strategy I'd like to call 'smash-until-it-breaks'," he smiled. Beside the glass prison he found their beyblades. Their toys; their weapons. He handed Tyson's to him and on the count of three they launched.

The initial impact wasn't enough to shatter the glass, but they kept at it. They hit the glass until it finally shattered.

With a magnificent cry, the beasts returned to their respective blades, free at last.

"Alright!" Rei exclaimed. "Now let's get back to the others!"

Rei and Tyson returned back to the room they'd initially found themselves held captive in. Their friends were still behind red flashing barriers. They held out Kai and Max's beyblades, and the bit-beasts returned to their masters with a brilliant light.

Now, all they could do was wait.

"Hey… Tyson?" Rei asked, suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Something about this place bothers me… why haven't we been caught?"

"Hmm?" Tyson cocked his head.

"We escaped from our nightmare sequence. We left the room, went through the halls and checked all the rooms on the way, and we just shattered the glass and freed our bit-beasts. Why haven't we been stopped by anyone?"

* * *

"Mom… I- I didn't…" Max whispered, tears flowing freely as he gazed at Judy's beautiful but still face. "Please…" 

A violet glow lit the area where the flames had died down just moments before. Max looked up momentarily. "Draciel…!" he gasped.

The great purple beast gave off a comforting aura, defending and protecting its master from the harshness of the nightmare. It silently gave Max strength, its presence reminding Max of the good still in his heart.

"I… I didn't try to kill you, Mom," he said softly. "It was an accident… I would never hurt you."

His words aloud to her still frame served to reassure himself, borrowing Draciel's strength as his soul returned to him. The calm armoured reptile stood patiently by his side, exuding a comforting warmth. "You… you know that, Mom. You know I would never, ever wish to cause you harm…"

Max looked up at Draciel, then knelt down closer to his mother. "I love you, Mom," he whispered. And with that, his heart was mended and the glass and blood and ash of the scene faded away.

* * *

"Max!" Tyson shouted, having been keeping watch over the chambers. The red barrier was slowly turning back to green, then to blue as he started to stir. The barrier vanished altogether as Max opened his bright blue eyes to the world once again. 

"Maxie!" Tyson grinned, running over to his friend. "Oh man, we were so worried about you!"

Max smiled slightly. "It… It wasn't real, was it," he confirmed, faintly.

"Nope, it was just a twisted nightmare," Tyson reassured him. "We've been through it too."

"Draciel… returned to me," he said, slightly bewildered but grateful. "…How?"

"Tyson and I managed to escape ours before you and the others, without our bit-beasts. When we did we were released from our chambers like you were, and so went out to find the bit-beasts! We brought 'em back, since we thought you might need a bit of help," Rei explained.

"Thank you," Max said. "I don't think I would have made it out without Draciel," he admitted. He smiled slightly, but his eyes looked worried. "…Am I weak?" he asked.

"What? Of course not!" Rei answered, cocking his head to the side. "Why on earth would you say that?"

"I gave up. If you guys hadn't saved me, I'd still be trapped. I'm weak…"

"Don't say that," Tyson said, almost harshly. "You're giving up again! Kai and Hilary are still both trapped; does that mean they're 'weak' too? You're wrong, Max. You're my best friend and I'm not going to let you give up ever again, do you hear me?"

"I… yes," Max nodded, giving a slight smile. "Thank you."

"That's what we're here for, right?" Rei smiled. "We help you out, and you help us out too. And that's why we're a team… maybe even more like a family. We've only been able to stick it out this long because we have so much trust in one another, and can rely one each other to help us out during difficult times. Besides, we only gave you a little encouragement – ultimately, you were the only one who could free yourself."

Max's smile grew, and his cerulean eyes seemed to twinkle a little once again. "You guys are the best."

"Oh, we know," Tyson grinned. "Welcome back."

* * *

Kai Hiwatari sat on the stone floor, legs drawn against his chest as he shivered relentlessly. The blood of his friends pooled at his feet. "I'm sorry…" he just barely whispered. "Pathetic, weak…" he echoed his grandfather's words. "I couldn't… I-I'm sorry…" 

He faintly felt a warm presence, unfamiliar and directly in contrast with the numbing cold he felt in his body and in his soul. The source grew warmer, and the phoenix embraced her master once more.

"Dr-Dranzer…?" Kai whispered. "I… No, leave me. Get out of here!"

The beast seemed to ignore him, as her warmth continued to protect her master.

"You'll only get hurt… I don't deserve you. Please… leave," he pleaded. Still, the phoenix was unrelenting.

"Don't you understand? …I'm hurting you. You can't stay. Tyson and Rei and Hilary and Max and Kenny… and Wyatt… and… Mom and Dad… I was responsible," he choked. "Please… you're all I have left. Please, Dranzer… leave me before I hurt you too," he begged.

The phoenix only held him closer. Her eyes glittered as she shed a tear. "Dranzer…"

The sparkling tear fell to his skin, and he felt the healing powers of the phoenix tear spread through his body; sunshine surged through his veins. The angry red marks on his arms and hands disappeared. And the sadness vanished from his grey eyes, replaced with the faint glimmer of hope as he was reborn from the ashes of desolation.

"Thank you, Dranzer," he said, a hint of a smile grazing his lips as the scene around him faded at long last, out of the darkness.

* * *

Kai heard his name being called as he regained consciousness. The barrier blocking him from Rei, Tyson and Max changed colour, then disappeared. "Kai!" they shouted again as they ran over to greet him. 

He looked up. "Hey."

Tyson cocked his head to the side and gave him a funny look, then grinned.

"What?"

"Oh… it's just that you don't usually greet people like that… or at all, really," he laughed amicably. His words were playful, not harsh in the slightest. "Well, okay, usually you don't talk. Only when it's important, and then you don't bother with a greeting – you just sneak up behind them and start talking and startle them. And when it's _really _important, you sneak up behind them and say their name first before you start talking and scare the heck out of them," he laughed.

"…Hm," came the typical response, but he smirked, amused.

"It's true," Rei laughed. "Well… looks like you made it out alright."

Kai nodded. "Thanks to Dranzer. Were you responsible for that?" he asked the three of them.

"Tyson and Rei did," Max answered. "They got out of it first, then saved us by bringing our bit-beasts to us."

"Thank you," he said sincerely to Tyson and Rei. Kai then looked over to Hilary's cell where she was losing her mental battle. Maybe already had lost.

"…What about Hilary?" he asked.

Tyson could see it: Kai was good at masking concern in his voice through years of practice, but his steel grey eyes betrayed him. "Don't worry… we'll get through to her somehow," Tyson reassured. "I—"

"_Self-destruct in ten minutes," _a computerized voice sounded over speakers as red lights began to flash. On every single monitor, the countdown had appeared and was already starting to tick away rapidly.

Several of them breathed in sharply – Hilary was still trapped. "We need to get her out now!" Max said anxiously.

"The barriers hurt you if you touch them," Tyson warned them, as he'd learned from experience.

Rei clenched his fists in frustration. "Maybe there's some sort of control or switch... If we could override the computer's programming…"

"None of us are capable of figuring out how to do that in the limited amount of time we have," Kai interjected. He pulled out his beyblade.

"Kai… can your blade really withstand the damage from the barrier?" Tyson asked, realizing what he was about to do.

"I can't afford not to try," he replied. Tyson smiled.

Kai launched the beyblade, hitting it against the barrier. Smoke came from the blade as it rammed against the glowing red. It didn't seem to impact the barrier, but he tried again and again. Smoke continued to come from the blade as the barrier took its toll, but eventually they saw it begin to weaken.

Tyson had reached for his own beyblade, but thought better of it. The look on Kai's face told him that Hilary was in no danger – he _would_ get her out in time. And Tyson wanted Kai to be the one to save her.

It had taken him a while to realize it, but it had come to him in time. And the more he thought about it, the more certain he was of his decision and the easier it felt. He personally would be much happier if Kai was the one who ended up with Hilary. His talk with Rei just before had confirmed it… had Rei known all along?

Sure, Tyson had liked her. And she'd hurt him, and he'd been angry with her. But when Kai had rejected her for his sake, though he'd initially felt gratitude, he now wished Kai had just accepted her decision. Now seeing them apart hurt him more than imagining them together.

"Just a little more…" Kai said through clenched teeth. His blade was wearing and looked as if it could break to pieces at any moment.

"You can do it, Kai," Tyson said encouragingly.

"Yeah!" Max cheered, and Rei followed suit. Soon, the barrier looked extremely weak and as if it could break with a good hit. The beyblade, however, looked even worse.

"Come on…" Tyson muttered under his breath, and Kai unleashed a final attack.

"Dranzer!" he called, and the flaming phoenix struck the barrier with all of its might.

The barrier shattered and faded as the beast returned to the motionless blade. It was in horrid condition, but Kai picked it up and returned it to his pocket nonetheless. "Thank you," he whispered, before running to Hilary's side.

"Hilary," he said softly, holding her limp body. Her skin still hurt when it made contact with his, but he paid no mind. "Hilary, wake up," he almost pleaded. "Hilary… please…"

Tyson saw the desperation in Kai's eyes. He was sure she would wake, but his own heart ached for her to wake up to see her saviour. "Kiss her," he said, suddenly.

"Wh-what?" Kai asked, flushing slightly. He seemed to have forgotten the others were there.

"I said kiss her," he said, surprising himself even. "It'll work. Don't ask me how… I just know it will. I think… I think Dragoon is telling me."

"But…"

"Listen to me, Kai. I love her too much for you to let her slip away. I want you to be happy together. And I'm not even trying to be selfless here – I want this more than anything," he said, his chestnut eyes full of conviction.

"Tyson," Kai said immediately, but Tyson cut him off.

"Can't accept that? Then how about this: Hilary and I would make a terrible couple. I'd hurt her feelings and we'd fight all the time. We're both far too stubborn and hot-headed for our own good, and would clash horribly. And I don't think I'm ready for a steady relationship; I don't think I'm mature enough. I'd be just as happy being friends. Is that what you want to hear, Kai?"

Kai shook his head, but before he could speak, Tyson interrupted again.

"But that's not the reason at all. Those are just facts. The truth is that I care about both of you, and want you both to be happy. That's it, plain and simple. I've seen the way you look at her… and I've seen the way she looks at you. And believe me… she is in love with you."

"Tyson…" Kai started, his voice laced with refusal.

"Goddammit, Kai," Tyson said shortly. "If it's so hard to stop punishing yourself, then do this for my sake. Don't you understand how hard this is for me? Stop being a stubborn jackass and kiss her already!"

Kai looked up at him… then smiled. "Alright," he said, giving in. He held her in his arms again and pressed his lips to hers. "Wake up," he whispered gently into her ear.

And with that, as Tyson had predicted, her long eyelashes fluttered open to reveal her bright ruby eyes. "K-Kai…" she whispered. He smiled slightly.

"Let's get out of here," he said, helping her to her feet. The others nodded.

"I'm pretty sure the exit's this way," Rei said, and the five took off, leaving the room and their self-doubt behind with it.

* * *

An explosion could be heard in the distance as the madman's laboratory was blown to pieces. 

"We made it," Max said, relieved. "…We made it!"

They were overcome with joy as they realized their ordeal had come to a conclusion at last, and they'd survived. Tyson, Rei and Max laughed and hugged one another.

Hilary flung her arms around Kai. He looked surprised, but the shock faded to a smile. "Hey, it… doesn't burn anymore," he observed.

"No? Well… how about this?" she asked, and playfully kissed Kai on the lips. Tyson had talked to Hilary, and she was more than glad that they could remain close friends after all she'd done. And that Kai would accept her after her mistakes was more than she could ever have dreamed of.

"Hey, how about that!" Rei grinned.

"Maybe it's 'cause the place was blown up," Max suggested.

"Or maybe it's because Kai's accepted Hilary," Tyson guessed.

"Maybe! Either way, it looks like it'll be about a few hours of walking to the nearest city," Rei observed. "It's starting to get dark, so let's get going!"

"I'm hungry!" Tyson complained. The others all turned to look at him, and he grinned. They all started laughing – Tyson was back to normal.

"Some things never change," Hilary shook her head. "Unfortunately."

"Good," Kai said, unexpectedly. "Without Tyson's habitual complaining, there was nobody to unleash my cynicism on," he explained with a smirk.

"What? Umm… thanks!" Tyson grinned.

"That wasn't really a compliment, Tyson… did you not understand what he said?" Max laughed.

"Hey! Of course I did…!"

"No you didn't," Rei grinned.

"Guys, stop being so mean to me! …Okay, I'm bored. Let's play a game!"

"No."

"Kai…!" Tyson whined.

Hilary, Max and Rei all glanced at each other and grinned. Everything was back to the way it should be.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER**

_Thank you to all of my reviewers and fans. I love you all. You've helped me so much to become a better writer and to keep going through the hard parts where I had my doubts. I would never have gotten this far without you. _

_The next chapter should be on its way – I've got it somewhat planned out in my head. And it will not take a year to update this time, I promise!_


	27. Home

_Thanks to everyone for the support you've given me along the way._

**xxxx**

**TWISTED FATE**

**Chapter 27: Home  
**

**xxxx**

"Mr. Dickenson? It's Tyson calling."

The others waited and listened as Tyson made the phone call. They'd finally reached a small town, and were warmly received by the residents. Some of the town folk recognized them, though in this friendly town, Tyson had the feeling that strangers would be just as well-received.

It had been almost night when they'd reached the town, and the local innkeeper had insisted they stay the night free of charge and allowed them use of his phone. Meanwhile, the owner of the town's diner was preparing them a hot meal, also on the house. Oh, Tyson had missed humanity.

"Yes… Tyson Granger," he said, and couldn't help but smile. "Max, Rei, Hilary and Kai are all right beside me, alive and well.

"Oh… please do," Tyson nodded. "Yes… please tell my Grandpa we're alright. And everyone else too…

Tyson's eyes brightened. "You can trace the call? Okay, great. We're staying at the local inn… Yes, they're preparing something as we speak – they're all very kind. Don't worry, Mr. Dickenson. …Yeah, tomorrow would be great!

"So I guess- what? No way!" Tyson broke out into a huge grin. "Kenny's alive?"

Rei gasped, smiling, and Max seemed to burst with excitement and relief. Hilary smiled and instinctively squeezed Kai's hand. Realizing what she'd done she blushed and instantly let go, but looking into the steel grey of his eyes, she realized letting go hadn't necessarily been necessary.

"No way…" Tyson murmured, smiling as widely as ever. "That's amazing… tell him we'll come visit him as soon as we're back! …Oh yeah? That's awfully nice, but you don't have to… Haha, well alright then! Okay Mr. D, I think I should go now – long distance call and all. …Yes, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then!"

Tyson hung up the phone and turned back to the others. "They're sending a BBA jet for us tomorrow morning. Mr. Dickenson was, of course, glad to hear from us, and he's going to inform everyone that we're here and well. They're throwing some sort of fancy welcome back party for us, too, and he said he'd do his best to make sure everyone will be there. And Kenny… he's alive!" he grinned.

"So then what I saw…" Rei started.

"Was real," Tyson affirmed. "But you didn't see the whole thing. Just like how the doctor sent those pictures to everyone – they were real, but gave a false impression. Apparently he had been trying to find a way to transfer Dizzi to a beyblade, but his laptop crashed. He was later hit by a car and indeed, his heart stopped beating, however it seems that Dizzi had been freed from the laptop after all, just not contained in the beyblade. She saved Kenny's life with her remaining power. He's in the hospital right now, recovering, and apparently doing pretty well. I told Mr. D that we'd come visit Kenny when we got back."

Rei grinned with relief. "That's pretty devious, messing with people's heads like that. I wonder where he went though," he frowned. "He set the building to self-destruct, so obviously fled…"

"It doesn't matter," Max shrugged. "He's gone. The police will probably find him eventually, and he's done toying with us. And hey, even if he comes after us again, we'll survive again, right guys?" he asked, grinning. They groaned at the thought.

"Sorry to interrupt," a girl said, approaching them. "My mom told me to tell you that dinner's ready."

Rei flashed her a smile. "Thanks," he nodded.

"The diner's just down the street… this way. Follow me," she said, leading them to the diner.

When they arrived, they sat down at a table with food already on the table. The table and chairs had a pleasant wooden scent to them, and the place seemed to radiate with warmth.

"Dig in… you all must be starved," the woman said kindly. "Help yourself to salad, roast beef, potatoes and green beans. Gravy's on the side here… and save some room for the apple pie that's in the oven!"

"Thank you so much!" Max smiled graciously.

"Yes, we really appreciate the hospitality. But you shouldn't trouble yourself," Rei added.

"Oh not at all," the woman smiled, her kind eyes full of warmth. "You kids have had a rough time from the sound of it; my daughter told me you were the missing ones in the news. But in any case, I love to cook, and the restaurant's otherwise empty. Oh, that would be the pie," she said as a timer went off, and walked back to the kitchen. "Eat well, you hear me?"

"Yes'm," Tyson said, already stuffing his face. "Mmm! 'Sgood!"

Hilary sighed, shaking her head before loading up her plate as well. "Hey… this is really good!" she smiled. "Mmm, the potatoes…"

"BEEF," Tyson managed through mouthfuls. "MMMBEEFSOGOOD," he mumbled.

"Mhmm an' gravy," Max said, mouth also stuffed with food. "Mmm beef wif gravy an' potatoes!"

Rei gave a slight smirk, noting Hilary's disgusted face as she watched the other two. "Yes… this certainly is a good meal," he smiled.

He caught Kai's eye though, and detected a trace of… longing? And then Rei felt it too, and could sense it in the others too, buried deep. He spoke up. "I haven't… and I don't think any of us, really… have had this, in a long time."

"No…" Kai agreed softly.

"What… roast beef?" Tyson asked.

Rei shook his head. "More like… a home cooked meal." Everyone could tell from the way he said it just what he meant. Not so much that they were constantly travelling and away from home, but the fact that they didn't really have perfect, complete families to actually go home to. But that was possibly what had brought them together in the first place, as a team.

"Yes… I'm glad I have you guys," Max said at last, with a smile.

"Me too," Kai said quietly.

They smiled. "To the Bladebreakers," Tyson said, raising his glass of soda, and their glasses clinked in merriment.

**xxxx**

Night had fallen, and most of the team was fast asleep. They all shared a room; the inn was small (though cozy). They wouldn't have wanted it any other way, though.

Kai, however, was awake, as one might guess. He sat outside on the grass in back of the inn, feeling the cool night breeze through his hair.

"Hey," he heard a voice say softly from behind him.

He looked up. "Hey," he greeted, just as softly.

"Can I join you?" she asked. He nodded, and she sat. They sat for a bit in silence, listening to the wind as it rushed through the grass and leaves in the trees.

"So you… forgive me," she said at last, her voice still slightly anxious.

"I already told you, I do," he replied, quietly.

"Okay," she said, trying to smile a little. She still looked troubled.

"What's on your mind?"

"Oh, nothing!" she said, brightly. Too brightly. She always overdid it, and he always caught her. He gave her a sidelong glance, and she knew her façade was done for. "It's just… you know. This whole thing. This mess, with Tyson… and me… and you."

"Do you believe him?" Kai asked. "When he says he's happier this way."

"I… do," she nodded. "I think I can feel it. And I know him well enough to know when he is telling the truth. He's the sort that really _is_ happiest when he can make others happy."

Kai nodded. "I agree."

"But still… I can't help but feel selfish and so undeserving," she admitted, wrapping her arms around her bare knees. "I did something horrible, and hurt both of you… and yet I end up with everything I wanted. It just doesn't feel… right."

"I am just as at fault," Kai said, shaking his head. "And believe me… I've done worse things in my lifetime. And I, too, have ended up with more than I could possibly have desired," he said, gently. She smiled slightly. "I often regret what I've done, but the past can't be changed. I suppose all we can do is hope for redemption through our actions towards the future."

"Yes," she nodded.

"And… even though you hurt him, don't forget that you've also brought him happiness on countless occasions. And… myself… You've changed me in so many ways… I don't even know where to start," he said quietly.

She smiled, appreciatively. The smile, though, turned from sweet to slightly mischievous. "Where to start," she echoed his words. "Well… how about we start with the fact that you're no longer a huge mean jerk?'" she suggested, teasingly.

He raised his eyebrows, amused. "I thought I most definitely was still a mean jerk."

"But not a _huge_ mean jerk," she said, a smile playing on her lips.

"…Fair enough," he conceded. "I am no longer a huge mean jerk; I am now merely an average-sized mean jerk. And so for that, I must thank you."

Her smile broadened into a grin.

"I do have to apologize, though," he said. "For all the huge and slightly-less-huge jerk moves I have made. Notably… for rejecting you so harshly that night." His voice was quieter and more serious now. "In wanting to keep my friendship with Tyson, I didn't even think of how I could have hurt you… I'm sorry."

"No, I… I need to apologize too," she said, quietly. "I've been thinking a lot… about what I said that night. I…" she broke off, unable to find the right words.

But his eyes were gentle and urged her to continue.

"I was wrong. You don't… '_need me,'_" she said, recounting her words, looking down at the grass. "I had used that as an excuse to explain to Tyson my decision, but still… I had actually believed it. And it was both conceited and foolish of me to even suggest such a thing," she said, shaking her head.

She paused. "But I do know, Kai… that you need _someone_." She looked back up, and ruby met steel. "And… Kai…" she whispered.

"_I _need _you_."

He smiled slightly, and in response tucked a strand of chocolate-brown hair behind her ear as the wind had blown it astray.

She leaned into him slightly as they gazed up at the stars, and he welcomed the touch. She gently, cautiously, reached for his hands. He realized, though, that she focused not on his hands, but on his wrists.

"You weren't wrong," he spoke at last. "I did… need you," he confessed, choosing his words carefully, emphasized by the quietness. Her fingertips traced over where the marks had healed.

He continued. "I'd closed myself off and I guess I …gave up on myself. Even after everything you and the others taught me," he shook his head.

"It won't happen again," she stated, all the confidence in the world.

"It won't," he agreed with a nod. "But listen. I don't want you to—"

"Kai," she interrupted. "Let me speak. I don't feel any obligation to stay. I am not afraid you'll give up again if I leave you. I'll stay because _I love you_. I'm here because I am madly, deeply in love with you; nothing more and nothing less."

His grey eyes were fixed upon her, in awe of her honesty and openness.

"As long as you're around to save me from falling off cliffs and being hit by trees… I'm not going anywhere," she finished with a smile.

He nodded and smiled back, enchanted by the way the moon lit up her face so perfectly. She leaned into him a bit closer, and they sat in silence for a while, listening only to wind rustling through grass and soft, rhythmic breathing.

"I really can't believe this is… real," she said softly, breaking the silence in the softest manner possible. "It seems like it wasn't long ago at all that I was just, you know, some fan girl. Just another girl writing your name all over my notebook, never even having spoken to you…"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Writing my name all over your notebook?" he asked, amused.

She flushed crimson. "I… never mind!" she said hastily, staring intently at the grass as if she could sink down into the earth if she stared hard enough. "I didn't say anything!"

"Don't lie now…" he smirked.

"Stop being such a jerk," she frowned, though clearly with affection.

"Forgive me."

Her arms were crossed. "I don't know…"

"_Please_." Something in his voice made her heart pound.

"…This time," she said, standing up, hoping he hadn't felt the erratic racing of her heart. "We should probably go get some sleep," she suggested, noting it was likely well into the early morning.

"Hm," Kai nodded, and the two walked back inside the inn to their room. Turning a light on, they could see Tyson and Max in their boxers fast asleep atop one of the beds, not having bothered to get under the covers. Rei was also in his boxers, sprawled out across the couch.

She took off her shoes and jacket, then brushed her teeth in the bathroom and washed her face. Re-emerging from the bathroom, she flopped onto the comfortable bed, not bothering with the sheets. It then occurred to her that the bed she was on was the only unoccupied one, with room for two. It also then occurred to her that Kai was also in his boxers.

"Umm… so… looks like we're paired together tonight," she said, slightly flushed again.

"I'll take the floor if you prefer," Kai offered.

"No! No… I don't mind…" she said, burying her face in the pillows. "D-do guys always just sleep in their boxers?" she sighed. "Don't you guys have, I dunno, man-pyjamas or something?"

Kai merely smirked, before turning out the light. He silently got on the other side of Hilary, keeping a respectful distance from her.

"Goodnight, Kai," she whispered. Then, under her breath, muttered something along the lines of "you sure make it hard to fall asleep." She was all too aware of how embarrassingly loud her heart seemed to be pounding yet again.

But although she had thought it would be difficult to fall asleep, he heard her breathing relax as she drifted into a slumber not long after.

He allowed himself to rest at last, closing his eyes. He had almost fallen asleep when he felt her, in her sleep, move closer to his side of the bed and put her arm over him. Feeling her warmth, the fabric of her shirt against his skin, sleep took over and he was sure to dream only good dreams.

**xxxx**

"Hilary! Wake up!"

"Hnnhh…?" she mumbled sleepily, turning over and hugging her pillow.

"Hilary!" Tyson smacked the dresser loudly, causing her to jump. "The jet's here!"

"Hmm?" She forced her eyes open to see Tyson standing over her. "Ahh… Okay, okay, I'm up already…"

Rei and Max shared a glance and smiled. This exact scene had unfolded the day they'd left Tyson's dojo – but reversed.

"Honestly, Hilary…"

"Mmm…" Hilary didn't want to move – her sleep had been so comfortable. She felt as if maybe last night was all just a dream, and if she woke it could disappear. It felt too good to be real.

Slowly she pried herself from her pillow and stumbled out of bed. The others were all dressed and ready to leave. Including Kai. She caught his eye and saw a subtle warmth in his expression that told her that last night had really happened. They'd really survived, and Tyson had really forgiven her, and Kai really did care for her.

She scrambled to get ready, and soon they were out the door, ready to go home. Boarding the luxurious private jet seemed strange and unusual for them, as they had almost grown accustomed to the brutal conditions they'd been under for so long.

They strapped themselves into the comfortable seats. "You know… I'm almost going to miss it," Tyson said.

"…Y-yeah…" Rei nodded confusedly, surprised that he was agreeing.

"You guys are crazy," Max sighed.

"It's strange, considering what it was we were put through. But I dunno," Rei shrugged. "Well… we spent a lot of time together."

"We became closer because of it," Tyson said. "And well… I'm glad it happened. Wouldn't want to do it again, but I'm happy with where it's brought us. I think we've all become better friends and better people because of it."

"I can't say I'll miss it. But I am happy with where we've ended up because of it," Kai said. Hilary gave a faint smile. "Happy" seemed foreign coming from his lips. She'd work on it.

"Yes, we've had quite a few new experiences… I can't wait to see everyone again," Rei smiled.

"Yeah," Max nodded. "Finally… we're going home."

**xxxx**

It was a fancy affair. Tables of food and desserts were arranged against the walls, the dance hall glittering with gold and crystal. Everyone was dressed to the nines, never having looked better. But the sense of comfort was not lost – this was home more than ever before. Nearly everyone that was important to them had come to celebrate their return.

"Max!" he heard his name called, and there was no mistaking who it was. He saw Mariam's tall, slim figure walking towards him from the crowd, piercing green eyes sparkling with delight, her dark blue hair framing her face perfectly. She wore a form-fitting red satin dress with a plunging neckline and straps that fell uselessly off of her shoulders. She'd never looked sexier.

"Mariam…" he said softly as he put his arms around her waist, her arms now around his neck. He smiled, and she smiled, and then he kissed her.

It was a mere peck on the lips, nothing more; he hadn't been quite sure how it would be received. But when he opened his eyes to see her reaction, the look in her own emerald ones said it all. She smiled and kissed him back.

"I'm so glad you're back, Max," she said at last. Her eyes were brimming with sincerity.

"I am too. I missed you."

"I swear I was going crazy… I couldn't stop thinking about you," she admitted. "I kept thinking about your face, your voice, everything…" He loved how forthright and confident she was.

Her piercing green eyes looked deep into his. "Max, I… think I love you."

"…I _know_ I love you," he responded with a smile.

She smiled back – no smirk or snarky comment on the tip of her tongue – just a simple smile. There was a time and place for teasing, but it wasn't here or now. Here and now, she was content to just be in his arms, knowing he was safe and alive and hers.

"Dance with me?" he asked, and she grinned.

"Thought you'd never ask."

"Nah… you knew I would."

"I did," she smiled coyly, and took his hand.

**xxxx**

"Jealous?" Tyson teased as he and Rei not-so-secretly watched Max and Mariam.

"What? No! Well, I mean, yeah, she's kinda—"

Tyson laughed. "No, I just meant in general. With _a _girl, not Mariam in particular. Although she is…"

Rei laughed. "No. Well… maybe a little. It would be nice," he shrugged.

Tyson saw as Rei stole another glance at a certain couple from the corner of his eye. Kane in his grey suit and tie, and Salima in a backless black dress that ended well above her knees. His hands on the back of her neck, her shoulder blades, her hips.

"Stop watching," Tyson scoffed gently.

"What? Watching who? I'm not…"

"Rei, I'm not blind."

Rei tore his amber eyes from the couple and looked at Tyson. He smiled genuinely. "Alright."

"Yeah. You don't see me watching Kai and Hilary," Tyson shrugged.

"True. Heh, look at us bonding over our single, loveless state..."

"Suck it up, Rei," Tyson laughed. "But hey, if you're so desperate, Mariah's just around the corner. Kinda hard to miss her…" He jerked his thumb in Mariah's direction, where she stood out from the crowd in head-to-toe fuchsia.

"Oh shut it," Rei shook his head. "She's a nice girl…"

"Uh huh."

"But hey, speaking of Kai and Hilary… where'd they get off to?"

**xxxx**

"Would you look at that," Hilary smiled. "Just out of the hospital and already Kenny's chatting up the ladies!"

Kai looked down from where they stood on the balcony to see the small boy speaking to Emily, face beet-red from blushing. She, too, had a pink tinge to her face, and from the looks of it was flirting back with him. "Strange…" he commented.

"Different, yes. But I'm proud of him," she said.

Kai nodded. "I'm glad that he's alive."

Hilary turned back towards Kai, and he saw the full extent of her beauty. She'd grown since the first time he'd laid eyes on her, no longer a child.

Her hair had grown longer over the duration of their ordeal, and she'd swept it back neatly, accentuating her face and neck. She wore a golden dress, fitted to her hips but flowing elegantly past her thighs. "Hilary…"

"Yes, Kai?" she asked, softly.

He paused. "We should begin training again tomorrow morning," he said.

A smile played on her lips. "Yes… we should. For tonight, though…" she started, and he moved closer towards her.

She gently wrapped her arms around his neck, as he put his hands on her waist. The music from the dance floor below reached their ears, and they listened to it without speaking a word.

Slowly, she moved her hands to his face, and ever so lightly caressed his cheek. She looked into his grey eyes, then watched his lips as they curved ever so slightly in not a smirk, but a hint of what was a genuine smile.

With that, her smile brightened, and she felt him hold her that much tighter. Their faces were so close there was barely two inches between their lips, but she didn't need to bridge that gap just yet. Tonight they would dance, and that would be more than enough.

**xxxx**

**Fin.**

_Thank you to everyone who has supported me over these years. I'm sorry it's taken so long, so thanks for staying with me. I hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I have loved writing it._

_Maybe there will be an epilogue, but for now I'll consider it finished. _

_Much love,_

_Penguin Pop_


End file.
